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1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

I 


•A  BUNCH  OP  FLOWERS 


FOR   GIRLS. 


BT 


JENNIE  FOWLER  WILLING, 

Atithnr  of  'fHammid  Ditut,"  "  The  Only  Way  (hit,"  <  From 

J-'i/Uen  to  Twenty  h'lve,"  "  The  Putfi-tUil  Woman," 

"A  ttottn  Be' s  for  Boy*;'  "  iron"  iic. 


M 


Boston,  Mahs.  : 

McDOXALn,   GILL  &  CO, 

Offick  of  The  CnKtsriAM  WiTNEsa, 

36  BUOMFI£LD  SXBEET. 


N0»  191888. 


^<^v< 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congrew,  in  the  year  1888, 

Bv  SroDONALD,  OILL  &  CO., 
lu  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


/•?-  y^Sac 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAN8IKS *  •' 

CHAPTER  II. 
Lii.iKS  OF  THE  Valley 13 

CHAPTER  HI. 

26 
Forget-me-nots *" 

CHAPTER  IV. 

MOKNINO-GLORIES •" 

CHAPTER  V. 
Flax ^ 


V 


f. 


„^lj_ 


C'O.VTA'.V'M. 
(  IIAPTKH  VI. 


Foi'Ji-o'ci.ooKs 


nor.I-YHOCKH 


Dandkijons 


CIIAPTKU  VII. 


CHAPTEK  VIII. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


CHBIBTMAH  ItoBKH 


Lilies 


Roses 


Thr  Vink 


CHAPTEK  X. 


CHAPTEK  XI. 


(CHAPTER  XII. 


62 


69 


08 


W 


83 


M 


104 


104 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAN8IE8. 


Have  you  over  noticed  what  bright,  sweot 
faces  pansies  raise  towards  yours,  when  you 
bend  over  them  in  the  gii'den  ?  They  look 
like  happy,  contented  little  people. 

I  have  a  friend  who  gave  his  little  daugh- 
ter  a  bed  of  pansies  for  a  birthday  present. 
She  was  so  delighted  with  them  that  when 
she  came  home  from  school,  the  first  thing, 
she  would  run  out  to  look  at  them,  and  pet, 
and  talk  to  them,  as  if  they  were  alive,  and 
knew  what  she  said.  One  day  she  told  her 
mamma  that  she  was  sure  she  could  tell  one 
5 


ly^^f 


6 


A  nVXC'II  OV  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 


of  them  if  she  were  to  meet  it  on  the  street. 
"  There  are  no  two  of  them  that  look  alike," 
she  said ;  "  indeed,  mamma,  though  they  are 
all  lovely,  they  are  no  more  like  each  other 
than  the  faces  of  the  girls  in  school.  And 
would  you  believe  it,  they  seem  to  kuowme, 
and  look  up  and  smile  whenever  I  come,  as 
if  they  were  glad  to  see  me." 

I  have  no  doubt  that  little  girl  was  happier, 
and  more  careful  to  do  the  right  thing  all 
day  in  school,  for  the  lesson  she  learned  from 
her  pansies. 

A  sweet-tempered  child  is  the  pansy  of  the 
household;  wh.  .1  she  comes  in  she  brings  the 
sunshine  with  her.  Her  mother  finds  the 
mists  of  care  rolling  off  her  heart,  when  she 
hears  the  chirping  of  her  voice  in  the  hall. 
Perhaps  the  baby  has  been  cross  all  day  on 
account  of  the  toothache,  that  the  poor,  little 
things  have  so  many  days  when  they  are  not 
old  enough  to  know  what  ails  them,  and 
nobody  else  can  tell.  If  its  mother  were 
sure  that  it  was    only  cutting  teeth  that 


I?  GIULS. 

m  the  street, 
t  look  alike," 
ugh  they  are 
;e  each  other 
school.  And 
to  know  me, 
'er  I  come,  as 

I  was  happier, 

ght  thing  all 

learned  from 

!  pansy  of  the 
ihe  brings  the 
her  finds  the 
art,  when  she 
3  in  the  hall. 
Dss  all  day  on 
he  poor,  little 
I  they  are  not 
Is  them,  and 
mother  were 
ig  teeth  that 


PANSIES.  " 

makes  it  look  so  ill,  and  fret  constantly,  she 
would  not  feel  so  anxious  about  it ;  but  she 
sees  the  small,  white  hearse  go  by,  drawn  by 
white   ponies,  and  with  a  little  coiTin  in  it, 
and  it  makes  her  shudder  when  she  thinks 
what    if    something  serious    is    the    matter 
with  her    own    dear    baby.      Her  mind  is 
full    of    dismal    thoughts,    that    make    her 
fearfully  tired,  but  her  little  girl  comes  in  as 
bright  as  a  pansy,  and  before   the   mother 
knows  it,  the  clouds  have  passed  away,  the 
baby  looks  better,  and  everythiug  seems  glad 
again. 

I  have  seen  a  whole  street  car  full  of  peo- 
ple brighten  up  when  a  pleasant-faced  child 
came  into  the  car.  She  might  have  done 
nothing  except  to  show  in  a  cheerful,  pleas- 
ant manner  that  she  was  pei'fectly  willing  to 
stand  when  it  was  not  convenient  to  have  a 
seat,  but  I  could  see  the  clouds  lift  from  the 
people's  faces.  Fathers,  who  were  very  tired 
with  the  hard  work  of  their  offices,  began,  to 
think  of  their  own  little  daughters  at  home ; 


U' 


8         A  BVNCII  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

mothers  thought  of  their  little  nestlings,  and 
felt  rested.  Somebody  remembered  a  little 
face  laid  away,  pale  and  still,  under  the  vio- 
lets, and  then  thought  of  her  in  Heaven  with 
Jesus;  and  the  little  girl  without  knowing  it 
was  making  people  better. 

Some  child  who  reads  this  will  feel  the 
blood  coming  into  her  face.  She  cannot 
help  remembering  how  she  sometimes  finds 
fault,  and  pouts,  when  things  are  not  to 
her  mind,  forgetting  how  much  other  people 
have  to  annoy  them,  and  adding  to  their  dis- 
ccAnfort  by  showing  her  ill-temper. 

She  looks  up  shyly,  and  asks,  "Suppose 
one  has  a  way  of  getting  cross,  and  being 
hateful,  how  is  she  going  to  help  it?"  If 
you  want  to  be  a  pansy,  yourself,  the  first 
thing  to  do  is  to  go  to  work  as  if  you  had  it 
all  to  do  with  no  one  to  help. 

I  once  knew  a  little  girl  whose  mother 
was  thoughtless  enough  to  scold  her  severely 
if  she  did  anything  wrong,  even  if  she  did 
not    mean    to    do    the    mischief.      If    she 


P0«  aiRLS. 

e  nestlings,  and 
jmberecl  a  little 
,  under  the  vio- 
in  Heaven  with 
dout  knowing  it 

lis  will  feel  the 
le.  She  cannot 
sometimes  finds 
nas  are  not  to 
ich  other  people 
ling  to  their  dis- 
smper. 

asks,  "Suppose 
jross,  and  being 
io  help  it?"  If 
Durself,  the  first 

as  if  you  had  it 

I, 

L  whose  mother 

3old  her  severely 

even  if  she  did 
ischief.      If    she 


PANSIBS.  ^ 

broke   a  dish,  or  tore  her  dress,  she  would 
have   to   hear   a  great   many   sharp    things 
said   about   it   that    made    her    poor    heart 
ache   all  day.      When  she  was  only  eleven 
years   old,   she   was   off    by  herself    crying 
over  a  scolding  that  she  had  had  for  some 
small  offense,  when  all  at  once  it  came  to  her 
that  she  would  be  a  grown-up  woman  some- 
time, and  she  said,  "  I  will  never,  never  make 
anybody  feel  as  bad  as  I  do  now  ;  I  will  never 
scold  anybody  as  long  as  I  live  ;  I  will  keep 
my  lips  shut  so  tightly  that  the  ugly  words 
cannot  get  out  to  hurt  anybody." 

She  kept  her  word,  though,  I  am  sorry  to 
say,  the  scold  was  in  her  heart,  and  would 
come  out  of  her  eyes,  and  her  face  would  be 
clouded  even  when  she  did  not  say  the  hate- 
ful words.      She  found  out  that  shutting 
them  back  didn't  quite  answer.    By  and  by 
rihe  came  to  see  that  she  could  go  to  the 
I.ord  Jesus  and  ask  Him  to  take  the  cross- 
uess  out  of  her  heart.    He  did  so,  and  then, 
the  queer  part  of  it  was,  people  seemed  so 


'I 


;i 


'J' 


10     A  nvNcn  OF  flowers  for  girls. 
much  kinder  to  her  than  thoy  used  to  be, 
and  she  was  very  seldom  scolded.     The  fact 
is,  she  didn't  mind  every  little  word  as  she 
had  done  before.     The  fret  was  all  washed 
out  of  her  heart  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and 
she  became  as  sunshiny  a  little  body  as  you 
ever  saw.     If  you  want  to  be  a  pansy,  and 
make  everybody  in   the   house  gladder  and 
happier,  you  must  find  out  how  to   be  as 
amiable  as  you  want  other  people  to   be. 
You  must  do  your  best  to  act  as  you  want 
them  to  act.     Then  you  must  go   to   the 
Lord,  and  ask  Him  to  forgive  you  for  every- 
thing you  have  ever  done  that  Avas  wrong. 
Tlien  ask  Him  to  wash  all  the  bad  temper 
out  of  your  heart  with  His  blood. 

You  must  do  this,  not  that  you  may  be 
happy  yourself,  or  even  that  you  may  make 
other  people  happier,  but  because  He  will  be 
better  pleased  with  you,  for  that  is  the  kind 
of  child  He  wants  you  to  be.  You  must 
believe  that  He  does  this,  and  thank  Him 
for  it,  and  you  will  find  that  it  is  doiKj. 


ill 

Ids 


>R  GIRLS. 

Y  used  to  be, 
ed.  The  fact 
I  word  as  she 
IS  all  washed 
of  Jesus,  and 

body  as  you 
a  pausy,  and 

gladder  and 
3w  to  be  as 
leople  to  be. 
as  you  M'ant 
t  go  to  the 
)u  for  every- 

was  wrong. 

bad  temper 
I. 

you  may  be 
I  may  make 
e  He  will  be 
;  is  the  kind 
You  must 

thank  Him 

doive. 


PANHIES. 


11 


Once  there  was  a  king  who  had  a  beauti- 
ful garden,  and  when  he  went  into  it  one 
day  he  found  everything  drooping  and  fad- 
ing. He  said,  "Why,  what's  the  matter 
here?"  "Oh,"  the  vine  said,  "I  cannot 
grow  tall,  and  slender,  and  beautiful,  like 
the  pine,  and  I  don't  want  to  grow  any 
more ;  there's  no  use."  The  pine  said,  "  I 
cannot  bear  fruit  like  the  apple  tree  ;  I  am 
good  for  nothing ;  I  don't  want  to  live  any 
more."  And  the  apple  tree  said,  "  My  flow- 
ers are  just  little,  simple,  common  things; 
they  are  not  beautiful  and  large  like  the 
roses,  with  everybody  praising  them ;  I  can't 
live  any  longer."  And  so  everything  was 
finding  fault,  and  looking  as  wretched  as  it 
could.  At  last  the  king  came  to  a  little 
heart's-eas( ,  (you  know  that  is  another  name 
for  the  pansy),  and  it  looked  up  at  him  as 
bright  and  glad  and  sweet  as  ever.  He  said, 
"  Heart's-ease,  you  don't  seem  to  have  fallen 
into  this  general  trouble.  They  are  all  find- 
ing fault,  but  you  seem   to  be   happy  and 


m 


■ii 


12        A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWKItS  FOK  QlllLS. 

glatl."    "  Yes,"  said  tlie  little  flower,  "  when 
you  planted  the  seed  out  of  which  I  grew, 
you  didn't  want  a  pine,  nor  an  oak,  nor  an 
upi.le  tree,  nor  a   vine,   nor  a  rose;    you 
wanted  just  a  little  heart's-ease.    And  now  to 
please  you,  I  am  going  to  be  just  the  best 
little   heart's-ease   that  ever   I  can."      This 
made  the  king  liappy,  and  while  he  had  to 
bring  the  others  out  of  their  discontent  the 
best  he  could,  he  was  glad  there  was  one 
plant  that  was  willing  to  do  just  the  very 
best  it  knew  how  to  please  him.     So  you 
must   make   up  your  mind  to   try  to  be  in 
yourself  just  the  kind  of  person  you  think 
Jesus  would  tell  you  to  be,  if  He  were  to 
come  into  the  house,  or  into  the  school-room, 
or  upon  the  play-ground,  and   tell  you  in 
words  what  sort  of  child  he  loves  best. 


t'On  GIRLS. 

le  flower,  "  when 
f  which  I  grew, 

an  oak,  nor  an 
T  a  rose ;  you 
ise.  And  now  to 
be  just  the  best 

I  can."  This 
vliile  he  had  to 

discontent  the 

there  was  one 

0  just  the  very 

1  him.  So  you 
;o  try  to  be  in 
rson  you  think 

if  He  were  to 
he  school-roort), 
ul  tell  you  in 
ves  best. 


CHAPTER  n. 

LILIES   OP  THE  VALLEY. 

Jesus  said,  "Consider  the  lilies  of  the 
field,  how  they  grow  ;  they  toil  not,  neithor 
do  they  spin ;  and  yet  [  say  unto  you  that 
even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  ar- 
rayed like  one  of  these."  These  gentle, 
quiet,  little  flowers,  like  a  chime  of  tiny, 
silver  bells,  echo  the  sweet  command  to 
"  take  no  thought  for  the  morrow,"  but  put 
all  trust  in  Him  Who  clothes  the  grass,  and 
crowns  the  lilies  with  their  delicate  and  ex- 
quisite beauty. 

The  lesson  seems  to  be,  "Be  contented 
1& 


a 


! 


J' 


H 


14        A  DUNCII  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

with  wlmt  He  gives  you.  Don't  make  up 
your  iniiul  to  get  for  yourself  everything 
tliat  strikes  your  fancy,  and  then  fret,  and 
tease  if  you  cannot  liave  it,  but  be  happy  in 
tlie  Lord,  and  make  others  so." 

The  larger  part  of  the  troubles  that  peo- 
ple, little  and  big,  bother  themselves  with, 
comes  from  trying  to  get  the  best  for  them- 
selves.   Children  are  afraid  that  somebody 
else  is  going  to  have  a  larger  piece  of  cake 
or  candy,  or  more  attention,  than  they.    They 
are  never  happy  unless  they  have  the  best 
place,  and  the  most  notice.    If  all  were  of 
the  same  spirit  everybody  would  have  a  bad 
time  in  everything,  for  only  one  or  two  would 
be  able  to  crowd  into  the  best  places.    In  a 
family  the  disagreeable  little  "  fusses,"  as  we 
call  them,  grow  out  of  someone  trying  to  get 
what  others  want.    They  cannot  all  have  the 
best,  and  every  child  ought  to  be  willing  to 
leave  the  parents  to  give  to  one  or  another, 
as  they  think  it  is  needed  or  deserved. 
Some  children  even  go  so  far  as  to  accuse 


FOR  niRia. 

Don't  make  up 
rself  overythinjj 
1  then  fret,  and 
but  be  happy  in 

rubles  that  peo- 
hemselves  with, 
I  beat  for  them- 

that  somebody 
ir  piece  of  cake 
ban  they.  They 
r  have  the  best 

If  all  were  of 
)uld  have  a  bad 
ne  or  two  would 
it  places.  In  a 
"  fusses,"  as  we 
ne  trying  to  get 
not  all  have  the 
o  be  willing  to 
)ne  or  another, 
leserved. 
\v  as  to  accuse 


ULIKS  OF  THE   VALLEY. 


15 


their  parents  of  partiality.  One  sometimes 
overhears  them  say,  "  There  I  You  are  al- 
ways getting  Mary  the  nicest  dress.  You 
don't  care  one  bit  how  I  look,  or  if  I  ever 
have  anything  neat  or  pretty."  Now  fathers 
and  mothers  may  have  favorites  among  their 
children,  though  they  do  not  nearly  so  often 
as  the  cross  ones  think  they  do. 

If  you  should  not  seem  to  be  petted  and 
loved  as  much  as  some  of  the  rest,  it  will  not 
make  them  love  you  any  better  for  you  to 
grumble  and  find  fault  all  the  time. 

Some  scholars  are  always  accusing  the 
teacher  of  showing  partiality.  If  you  be- 
lieved all  they  said,  you  would  think  they 
were  never  given  a  fair  chance  to  get  ahead, 
and  that  they  had  a  great  deal  more  than 
their  share  of  scoldings  and  punishment. 

The  main  part  of  the  trouble  is,  they  are 
trying  to  have  their  own  way,  instead  of 
finding  out  what  the  rules  are,  and  obeying 
them.  They  give  any  amount  of  time,  that 
ought  to  be  used  in  learning  their  lessons,  in 


16        A  BUNCH  OF  f'LOWKuS   FOR  OIJl/.S. 


'\l  i 


trying  to  get  avouncl  tlie  nileH,  l)reaking 
tliein  when  tlioy  please,  and  escaping  punish- 
ment 

The  worst  part  of  tliis  is,  tlmt  habits 
formed  in  the  family  and  in  the  school,  go 
with  men  and  women  as  long  as  they  live. 
All  their  days  they  will  be  trying  to  get  the 
best  place>  and  have  their  own  way,  and  that 
will  keep  them  unhappy  most  of  the  time. 
That  is  one  reason  why  some  old  people  have 
such  deep,  criss-cross  lines  on  their  faces. 
They  have  lived  selfishly  and  disobediently  ; 
they  have  tried  to  have  their  own  way;  and 
they  have  fought  till  they  were  full  of  cross 
words  and  hard  feelings,  and  have  been 
beaten  in  every  battle. 

If  people  are  ever  going  to  learn  to  give 
up  for  the  sake  of  the  comfort  of  others,  they 
must  begin  when  they  are  children. 

You  have  seen  pictures  of  the  charming, 
little  performances  of  canary  birds,  playing 
with  toy  cannons  like  soldiers,  carrying  guns, 
aiming  and  firing  at  each  other,  pretending 


1  aiiiLs. 

68,  l)reaking 
ipiiig  punish- 

tlmt  habitfl 
le  Hchool,  go 

as  they  live. 
[J  to  get  the 
ay,  and  that 
of  the  time. 

people  have 

their  faces, 
sobediently ; 
'n  way;  and 
full  of  cross 

have  been 

am  to  give 

others,  they 

en. 

le  charming, 

rds,  playing 

rrying  guns, 

,  pretending 


l.U.IKS   OF   rilK    VM.I.EW 


17 


to  bo  Idllod,  and  hniiig  caniod  of!"  tho  l)uttlo- 
ficld  by  the  rent.  Now  tlio.sn  birds  ctiuld 
never  have;  learned  such  woiiderfid  tlnnjrs  if 
their  tcaciiers  had  not  begun  with  thoui  \hon 
they  were  little.  It  is  just  so  with  people  : 
they  seldom  learn  anything  well  unless  they 
begin  when  they  are  young.  If  you  want  to 
be  nsoful  and  hap])y  when  you  grow  up,  you 
must  learn  to  give  up  your  way  when  you 
are  a  child. 

There  is  a  twist  of  wrinkles  all  around 
one  pair  of  bright,  black  eyes  that  are  look- 
ing up  at  me,  "Of  course,"  says  the  little 
girl.  "I  know  tiiat  everybody  ought  to  give 
vip  to  everybody,  and  bo  satisfied  not  to 
n^^ke  a  fuss  if  they  don't  just  get  everything 
they  want;  but  what  is  anybody  going  to 
do  who  has  such  a  disposition  that  it  doesn't 
seem  as  if  she  ever  could  give  up  when  she 
makes  up  her  mind  to  have  a  thing  ?  "  Well, 
dear;  if  you  really  have  such  a  disi)osition  as 
that,  it  is  half  cured  when  you  have  found  it 
out  and  are  willing  to  own  it  to  yourself. 


A  JWNCIt  Of  fl.OWKIiS  FOR  UIIiLS. 

Most  clilldron  mnke  cxcusi's  fur  tlioirimiiglity 
ways.  It  is  always  "  8uo  inaile  mc,"  or 
"Tom  teases  mo  so  awfully,"  or  "Jeunio 
struck  mo  first." 

When  one  sees  that  she  has  a  selfish  anil 

untrustful  spirit,  of   course  she  will  go    to 

work  at  once  to  get  rid  of  it,  the  sooner  the 

better ;  for  bad  dispositions  are  like  weeds, 

all  you  have  to  do  is  to  let  them  alone,  and 

they  grow  so  big  and  stout  you  cannot  pull 

them  up  at  all.    They  are  like  those  great 

burdocks  that  you  soe  sometimes.      If  one 

were  in  your  flower  bed,  it  would  take  up  all 

the  ground,  and  choke  out  the  flowers,  and 

fill   everybody's  clothes  with  those  hateful 

burrs  that  prick  your  fingers  when  you  try 

to  pull  them  off.     You  mig.it  pull  away  at 

the  ugly  old  thing  all  day  long,  and  you 

couldn't  make  its  stout  roots  let  go  of  the 

ground.     When  it  first  came  up  you  could 

have  pulled  it  up  with  your  thumb  and  one 

finger. 

If  you  want  to  get  rid  of  a  selfish  disposi- 


IllLS. 

iriuiughty 
I  mo,"  or 
:  "Jennie 

lulfiHh  and 
vill  go  to 
■ioonor  the 
ke  weeds, 
nlone,  and 
xniiot  pull 
hose  great 
i.  If  one 
take  up  all 
jwers,  and 
se  hateful 
in  you  try 
all  away  at 
;,  and  you 
t  go  of  the 
you  could 
lb  and  one 

ish  disposi- 


Lll.lKs  OF  Tfn:   VM.I.KY. 


10 


tlnn  that  is  iiUvays  ofTniidod  when  you  don't 
g«!t  quite  nil  tliat  hch.ngs  to  you,  and  hiivo 
in  its  place  the  "nieok  and  (juiot  spirit,"  that 
the  IJiblo  says  is  "of  great  price,"  you  must 
begin  by  making  up  your  mind  to  put  down 
your  own  Btubbornness.     One  of  your  play- 
mates has  a  prettier  dress  than  you ;  yours 
looks   very   coarse   and    connuon    beside   it. 
Don't  allow  yourself  to  be  envious  or  sour 
about  it,  and  whisper  in  tlie  ear  of  some  girl 
who  will  not  tell,  "I  don't  think  she  looks 
one  bit  nicer  than  the  rest  of  us,  with  all  her 
fine  things.     If  I    were  as  black  as  she  is, 
I'd  want  bright  dresses  too,  to  make  people 
forget  how  homely  I  was.    If  her  father  were 
as  honest  as  mine,  and  j)aid  all  his  debts,  she 
couldn't  have  any  more  fine  things  than  I 
have.      See  how  stuck-up  she  is  about  lier 
new  dress."     If  any  of  these  ugly  thoughts 
are  put  into  your  head  by  the  bad  spirit, 
don't  let  them  get  out  of  your  lips. 

Bo  good  natured  and  kind,  no  matter  how 
disagreeable  other  people  are. 


20        A  liUNCII  UF  F LOW h: Its  FOR  GIRLS. 

One  little  girl,  wlio  luis  at  home  a  house 
full  of  brothers,  aiul  who  knows  quite  too 
well  how  boys  can  tease,  asks  half  poiitingly 
if  I  think  girls  ought  always  to  give  up 
everything  to  their  brothers.  "  Because,  you 
know,"  she  adds,  "  there  would  be  no  end  of 
it.  The  boys  would  spoil  everything,  and 
not  care  the  least  bit  about  it.  They  will 
tease  the  very  life  out  of  you,  if  you  don't 
stand  up  for  your  rights." 

I  don't  think  girls  ought  to  give  up  any 
more  than  the  boys  do.     The  truth  is,  the 
poor,  dear  fellows  are  allowed  to  tease  their 
sisters,  and  run  about  nights,  and  do  as  they 
please,  till  they  have  a  hard  time  trying  to  be 
sweet,  gentle,  pure  Christians.     I  remember 
hearing  about  a  man  who  tried  to  give  his 
heart  to   the   Lord   Jesus   Christ.     He  was 
days  and  days  praying,  until  it  seemed  as 
though  he  would  go  crazy.    He  told  the  min- 
•    ister  that  the  trouble  was  with  him,  when  he 
was  a  little  boy  his  mother  let  him  have  his 
own  way.    His  father  was  a  sea-captain,  and 


mi 


(JIRLS. 

me  a  house 
/s  quite  too 
i  poutingly 
;o  give  up 
iecause,  you 
16  no  end  of 
yrthing,  and 
They  will 
f  you  don't 

;ive  \\\}  any 
ruth  is,  the 

tease  their 
I  do  as  they 

trying  to  be 
I  remember 

to  give  his 
st.  He  Avas 
it  seemed  as 
told  the  min- 
im, when  he 
lim  have  his 
-captain,  and 


LILIES  OF  THE   VALLEY. 


21 


very  seldom  at  home,  as  he  was  usually  off 
with  his  ship  upon  tlie  sea.  When  this  child 
was  eleven  years  old,  he  swung  a  whip  over 
his  mother's  head,  and  dared  her  to  touch 
him,  when  he  deserved  punishment.  Ilis 
will  had  grown  so  strong  that  when  he  tried 
to  yield  it  to  the  Lord,  it  seemed  almost  im- 
possible for  him  to  give  up. 

I  think  that  is  one  reason  why  there  are  so 
many  more  women  and  girls  that  become 
Christians  than  there  are  men  and  boys. 

It  takes  a  great  deal  of  common  sense  to 
get  along  with  teasing  folks.  It  is  usually 
the  best  way  to  give  up,  and  get  out  of  their 
reach,  when  it  is  not  positively  wrong  to  do  so. 
Of  course  you  must  be  firm  when  it  would 
grieve  the  Saviour  to  have  you  give  up.  You 
always  want  to  do  as  nearly  as  you  can  what 
you  think  would  please  Him,  if  He  were 
standing  beside  you,  as  He  really  is,  and 
listening  to  every  word  you  say.  You  will 
have  to  submit  for  yourself;  nobody  can 
force  you  to  give  up  your  own  way.    They 


nap 


!    S 


22 


A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWfmS  FOR  GIRLS. 


might  beat  you  till  you  gave  up  to  save  your- 
self the  pain,  but,  after  all,  it  would  not  be 
the  kind  of  yielding  that  amounts  to  any- 
thing. 

Not  even  the  Lord  Himself  can  make  you 
submit  unless  you  choose  to  do  so.  A  great 
deal  of  the  trouble  that  is  in  families,  in  the 
church,  and  in  the  world,  among  grown  peo- 
ple, comes  from  their  having  learned  this 
lesson  so  imperfectly. 

Years  ago,  when  the  prairies  were  first 
broken,  there  was  one  plant  that  they  called 
redroot.  It  did  not  look  very  stout,  or  seem 
much  in  the  way,  but  the  great  breaking 
plow  and  ten"  yokes  of  oxen  could  hardly 
tear  its  roots  loose,  so  as  to  kill  it.  The 
plowmen  used  to  have  to  carry  an  axe  to  chop 
it  off  down  in  the  groiuid.  Some  careless 
men  would  lift  out  the  plow  and  go  around 
the  redroot,  rather  than  have  the  trouble  of 
carrying  an  axe  to  cut  it  off.  Tliey  would 
leave  it  growing,  and  it  would  bother  the 
farmer  always  whenever  he  came  to  that 
place. 


lIItLI^. 


LILIES  OF  THE  VALLEY. 


save  your- 
ild  not  be 
its  to  auy- 


make  you 
.  A  great 
lies,  in  the 
jrown  peo- 
sarued  this 

were  first 
they  called 
lit,  or  seem 
it  breaking 
luld  hardly 
11  it.  The 
axe  to  chop 
ne  careless 
go  around 
trouble  of 
'hey  would 
bother  the 
ue   to  that 


Some  people  think  it  does  not  matter  how 
many  roots  of  selfishness  there  may  be  in 
their  hearts,  if  they  do  not  look  very  bad  on 
the  surface.  But  I  do  not  think  so.  God 
sees  all  the  meanness  away  back  where  no- 
body else  knows  ajiything  about  it,  and  the 
best  thing  is  to  get  liim  to  make  it  all  right 
as  we  go  along. 

You  must  give  up  your  way,  and  let  other 
people  have  theirs,  because  you  want  to 
please  the  Saviour.  Conquer  your  selfish 
disposition  for  His  sake,  and  He  will  con- 
quer it  for  you. 

He  said,  "  Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they 
shall  inherit  the  earth."  Those  who  are 
ready  to  take  a  low  place  and  let  others  have 
the  best,  because  that  is  the  place  the  Lord 
wants  them  to  be  in,  are  sure  to  have  the 
very  happiest  time.  They  have  just  what 
the  Lord  wants  them  to  have,  and  nothing 
can  be  better  than  that.  When,  to  please 
Him,  you  give  up  things  that  you  want  very 
much,  He  takes  notice  of  every  little  sacrifice, 


I  li^ 


24       A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

and  He  never  forgets  to  take  care  of  those 
who  try  to  please  Him.  It  is  easy  to  trust 
Him  to  see  that  we  have  a  good  time,  when 
we  are  doing,  the  best  we  know,  as  He  wants 
us  to  do.  I  heard  a  young  girl  say  once,  that 
when  she  gave  herself  all  up  to  Christ,  she 
thought  it  was  going  to  spoil  every  plan,  and 
nothing  would  go  the  way  she  wanted  it 
again.  "  But,"  she  said,  "  Ho  knows  best, 
and  I  wanted  it  His  way."  And  afterwards 
she  found  that  everything  that  she  gave  up 
was  given  back  to  her  with  His  blessing, 
and  she  had  a  thousiind  times  happier  life 
than  she  could  possibly  have  planned  for 
herself.  A  child  who  lives  her  little  life  as 
simply  and  naturally  as  the  lilies  live,  will 
be  made  bcr.utiful  by  our  Lord,  and  He  will 
use  her  to  help  people,  older  and  wiser  than 
herself,  to  see  that  they  must  love  and  trust 
Him  in  the  same  sweet  way. 

A  grand  duchess,  in  her  walks  through 
her  grounds,  saw  that  the  little  daughter  of 
her  gardener,  was  a  sweet,  simple  child,  care- 


c 
c 
c 

i: 
1 

r 

t 

8 

a 
t 

E 

1; 
1 
-li 
b 
s 
t( 
li 
h 


URLS. 

I'e  of  those 
ly  to  trust 
;ime,  when 
}  lie  wants 
'  once,  that 
[yhrist,  she 
f  plan,  and 
wanted  it 
lows  best, 
afterwards 
le  gave  up 
s  blessing, 
appier  life 
anned  for 
ttle  life  as 
}  live,  will 
id  He  will 
wiser  than 
!  and  trust 

£3  through 
Laughter  of 
child,  care- 


LILIES  OF  THE  VALLEY. 


26 


fully  trained  in  all  good  things.  One  day 
she  had  her  brought  into  the  palace.  When 
dinner  was  served,  and  the  ladies  of  honor 
came  in,  they  watched  the  child  to  see  what 
effect  all  this  splendor,  the  fine  furniture,  the 
silver,  tlie  gay  dresses  of  the  ladies,  would 
have  upon  her.  To  their  surprise  she  seemed 
not  to  care  very  much  about  it.  When 
the  dinner  was  ready  and  they  were  seated 
at  the  table,  she  bowed  her  head  and  they 
all  stopped  talking  and  waited  to  see  what 
she  would  do  next.  Slie  clasped  her  hands 
and  said  softly:  "Dear  Lord  Jesus,  I 
thank  Thee  for  my  food  and  clothing,  for 
my  home  and  friends.  Though  I  dress  plain- 
ly now,  I  pray  Thee  let  me  be  clothed  in 
Thine  own  righteousness  forever ;  though  I 
-live  on  coarse  fare,  I  pray  Thee  let  me  break 
bread  with  Thee  in  Thy  Kingdom."  Wlien 
she  raised  her  head  the  ladies  were  all  in 
tears,  and  the  grand  duchess  said  :  "  Dear 
little  Gretchen,  I  would  give  my  realm  to 
have  thy  simple,  beautiful  trust." 


CHAPTER  III. 


FORGET-ME-NOTS. 


If  you  have  never  seen  them  growhig,  you 
often  see  them  in  pictuies, —  five  delicate, 
pale-blue  petals,  with  a  dot  of  yellow  in  the 
centre. 

Friends  love  to  be  remembered  by  those 
who  are  dear  to  them,  when  they  are  absent. 
Sometimes  when  they  part  they  give  each 
other  these  flowers,  meaning  to  say  by  that : 
"Don't  forget  me  while  you  are  away;  re- 
member to  do  the  things  that  you  know  will 
please  me." 

God  wants  you  to  remember  Him  for  your 
26 


ow 
tui 
for 
be( 
Yo 
thi 
pei 
ne^ 
Th 
tea 
wo 
is  '. 
the 
the 
pie 
J 
ont 
eac 
the 
the 
the 
ev( 
we 


FOROET-ilE-NOTS. 


27 


A 


rowing,  you 
ve  delicate, 
}llow  iii  the 

d  by  those 
are  absent. 
r  give  each 
ay  by  that : 
(  away;  re- 
i  know  will 

im  for  your 


own  good.  He  says,  "  The  wicked  shall  be 
turned  into  hell,  with  all  the  nations  that 
forget  God."  Those  who  were  bad  were  so 
because  "God  was  not  in  all  their  thoughts." 
You  must  remember  that  He  hears  every- 
thing you  say.  Sometimes  little  girls  whis- 
per their  secrets  to  each  other,  promising 
never  to  tell  as  long  as  they  live  and  breathe. 
They  would  not  have  their  mothers  or  their 
teachers  know  what  they  are  saying  for  the 
world.  They  ought  to  remember  that  God 
is  listening.  If  there  is  anything  in  what 
they  say  that  would  grieve  their  mothers, 
they  may  be  sure  that  God  will  not  be 
pleased  with  it. 

A  couple  of  men  were  shut  up  in  a  prison 
once,  and  while  they  were  talking  low  to 
each  other,  they  stopped,  and  in  the  silence 
they  heard  the  scratching  of  a  pen.  Then 
they  understood  that  just  the  other  side  of 
the  partition  was  somebody  writing  down 
every  word  they  said,  and  that  when  they 
were    put    upon    trial    for    the    crime    of 


28       A   UUNVn  OF  FLOWKUS  FOR  GIJiLS. 

which  they  were  ncoused,  everything  they 
had  said  to  eacli  other  would  bo  read  in  evi- 
dence against  them.  Every  HyUablo  that 
you  utter  U  written  in  God's  book.  Jesus 
said,  "  For  every  idle  word  that  men  shall 
speak,  they  must  give  account  in  the  day  of 
judgment."  The  Bible  tells  about  the  time 
when  "  tho  books  shall  be  opened,"  and  every- 
body shall  be  judged  by  the  things  written 
in  the  books.  You  must  be  careful  not  to 
whisper  in  anybody's  ear  anything  that  you 
do  not  want  to  hear  read  from  God's  book  ; 
,,  for,  remember,  it  is  all  written  there. 

You  must  not  forget  that  God  sees  every- 
where.    You  cannot  hide  from  Him. 

A  little  boy  was  urged  to  take  a  peach  from 
a  large  basket.  "  The  man  will  never  miss 
it,"  said  the  other  boy,  "  there  are  so  many 
of  them.  He  doesn't  know  how  many." 
"  Yes,"  said  the  other  one,  "  but  then  you 
know  God  counts." 

Children  learn  very  early  to  do  mischief  on 
the  sly.      They    think    their    parents    and 


toa 
I'mk 
Till 

Cnii 
.sllil 
I  I] 
iiiti 
Iteii 
(ilk 
llie 
.slia 
sl.a 
lies 
hgl 
the 

Lo: 
the 
wa 
yoi 
the 

to: 

Hi 


B  GIRLS. 

rythiiig  they 

0  read  in  evi- 
sylhiblo  that 
book.  Jesus 
at  men  sliiill 
u  the  day  of 
out  the  tiuio 
I,"  iiiidevery- 
lings  written 
iireful  not  to 
ing  that  you 
God's  book  ; 

there. 

d  sees  every- 

Him. 

1  a  peach  from 
11  never  misa 

are  so  many 
how  many." 
but  then  you 

io  mischief  on 
parents    and 


FORflKT-MK-S'OTti. 


29 


teachers  cannot  sou  Ihoin,  and  will  never 
liiid  it  out,  and  so  it  is  safe  to  do  wrong. 
They  forget  tiio  word  of  tlic  IJible,  "  Thou, 
Gdd,  seost  nie."  David  said,  "Whitlicr 
■sliiill  I  go  from  tliy  spirit?  or  whither  shall 
I  llee  from  thy  presence?  If  I  ascend  up 
into  heaven,  thou  art  there:  if  I  make  my 
l)cd  in  hell,  behold,  thou  art  there.  If  I 
lake  the  wings  of  the  morning,  and  dwell  in 
llio  uttermost  parts  of  the  sea ;  even  there 
.shall  thy  hand  lead  me,  and  thy  riglit  hand 
.shall  hold  me.  If  I  say,  Surely  the  dark- 
ness shall  cover  me ;  even  the  night  .shall  be 
light  about  me.  .  .  .  The  darkness  and 
the  light  are  both  alike  to  thee." 

You  must  not  forget  the  commands  of  the 
Lord.  For  instance,  Ho  says,  "Remember 
the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy."  He  dosen't 
want  you  to  seek  your  own  pleasure,  or  speak 
your  own  words,  or  even  think  your  own 
thoughts  on  His  day.  Every  hour  belongs 
to  Him,  and  must  bo  spent  in  remembering 
Ilim ;    thinking  of  His  love  and  goodness, 


II    ' 


30        A  nUNVIt  OF  h'LOWKHS   f'OH  (IlKI.S. 

and  talking  about  them,  hearing  about  tlieuj, 
or  reading  about  them. 

I  have  known  people  to  take  a  part  of  the 
Lord's  time  for  tlieniselves,  by  sleeping  later 
on  Sabbath  morning,  than  they  did  on  week 
days.     They  had  wfM-ked  or  played  so  hard 
on  Saturday,  that  tlsoy  had  to  rest  on  Sunday 
so  as  to  be  ready  to  begin  again  on  Monday. 
It  would  be  a  sad  drudgery  to  them  to  think 
of  having  to  talk  about  Ciod  all  day.     I  am 
sure  I  don't  know  what  such  people  will  do 
when  they  get  to  Heaven,  where  all  the  talk 
and  thought  are  about  the  Lord.     The  trou- 
ble  is,   they   don't  love  Him  well  enough. 
They  ought  to  go  to  Him,  and  get  a  heart 
that  loves  Him  so  much  it  would  never  be 
tired  of  talking  of  His  goodness.     He  says 
He  will  make  the  Sabbath  a  delight.     It  is 
not  easy  for  a  child  to  keep  God's  day  holy 
when  other  people  are  careless  about  it.     I 
remember  a  young  girl  who  used  to  have  to 
sit  alone  by  herself  when  all  the  family  went 
riding  on  Sunday,  and  when  they  had  com- 


i 


(ilUl.s. 
ibuut  tlkeiii, 

jmrt  of  tlio 
3eping  later 
id  on  week 
^ed  80  hard 
b  on  Sunday 
m  Monday. 
BUI  to  think 
day.     I  am 
iple  will  do 
all  the  talk 
The  trou- 
ell  enough, 
get  a  heart 
lid  never  be 
8.     He  8ay8 
light.     It  is 
I's  day  holy 
about  it.     I 
I  to  have  to 
family  went 
ly  had  coni- 


rOKUKT  MK-NOTS. 


31 


pany,  gay,  worldly  people,  who  cared  noth- 
ing about  the  Lord.  She  seoined  unlike  the 
rest,  and  soniotimes  they  would  laugh,  and 
make  fun  of  her ;  but  hIio  kept  right  on,  and 
grew  to  be  a  very  earnest,  strong  Christian. 

There  waa  a  little  girl  in  our  Sunday-school 
once,  who  gave  her  heart  to  the  Lord  when 
she  was  only  nine  years  old.  There  was  not 
another  Christian  in  her  home.  Sunday  was 
their  visiting  day.  When  her  uncles  and 
aunts  would  come  to  have  a  jolly  time  with 
her  father  and  niotlior  on  Siniday,  she  would 
go  off  by  herself.  Perhaps  one  of  the  aunts 
would  say,  "  Where  is  Nettie  ?  "  "  Oh,"  her 
mother  would  reply,  "siie's  the  queerest 
child  that  ever  you  saw.  If  you'll  come  soft- 
ly to  this  bedroom  door,  I'll  show  you  where 
she  is  and  what  she  is  doing."  And  then 
they  would  tip-toe  up  to  the  door,  and  her 
mother  would  open  it  very  quietly,  and  they 
would  peep  in ;  and  sometimes  they  would  see 
Nettie  with  her  Bible  on  her  lap  reading,  or 
she  would  be  on  her  knees,  and  they  could 


'Hi 


liear  her  praying  (io.l  to  fi.rgivc  thoiv  hu.s. 
an.!  to  inako  tluMU  all  l-.v.,  Him,  and  bo  gocil, 
nmlkcci.  His  day  lu.ly.  Tl.cy  w<.uld  hI.uI 
tlic  door,  and  tl.ou-h  tliey  laughod,  and  said 
funny  tilings  about  it,  down  in  their  hearts 
they  know  the  child  was  right,  and  thoy  were 

wrong. 

The  Lord  wants  you  to  remember  and  h)VO 
HirtWord.  Jesus  said,  "Search  the  Scrip- 
tures, for  m  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal 
life."  I  have  known  people  to  be  ashamed  to 
be'seen  reading  the  Bible.  It  seems  to  me 
-  thei'r  hearts  must  bo  very  hard  towards  the 

Lord. 

Years  ago  in  Ireland  there  was  a  little  girl 
who  got  hold  of  a  Bible  in  some  way.     She 
was  80  delighted  with  it  that  she  commit- 
ted  fifty   chapters   to   uiemory.     Then   the 
priest  found   out  that   she   had   that  Book, 
and    he    said    she    must    give    it    up.     He 
took  it  to  burn  it.     That   was  a  sore    trial 
to  her,  but   she  looked   up    to   her   mother 
through  her  tears,  and   said:  "There's  one 


IIIUl.S. 

>  Ihoir  HI  lis. 
11(1  1)0  good, 
would  si  nil. 
ed,  and  8iii<l 
tlioir  I'oarts 
id  ilioy  were 

bor  and  lovo 

I  tho  Scrip- 
luivo  eternal 
3  ashamed  to 
^eeras  to  me 

towards  the 

vs  a  little  girl 

le  way.     She 

she  commit- 

.     Then   the 

II  that  Book, 
it    up.     He 

1  a  Bore  trial 
)  her  mother 
"There's  one 


t'OUilEr-ME.S-oTS. 


83 


good  thing.  He  can't  burn  tl.o  fifty  chapters 
I  learned ;  I  Imvo  tliem  so  I  can  keep  thorn." 
The  more  ot  the  Hible  you  can  commit  to 
memory,  the  better.  Y„n  may  be  blin.l  some 
day,  or  too  ill  to  hold  a  book,  ami  it  will  be 
the  greatest  comfort  to  you  to  have  the  Word 
of  God  in  your  mind. 

You  must  a.ot  forget  to  pray  daily  to  the 
Lord.     I  knew  a  little  girl  whose  sister  tauglit 
her  to  pray,  thi.ugli   her  father  and  mother 
were  not  Christians.     After  her  sister  died 
she  never  forget  to  kneel  by  her  bedside  to 
pray  before  she  went  to  sleep.     Some  niglits, 
after  slie  liad  played  hard,  and  was  so  tired 
and  sleer      she  forgot  at  first;  but  afterward 
she  would  remember,  and  slip  out  of  bed  and 
say  her  prayers  before  she  went  to  sleep. 

Yr.,  must  not  forget  to  do  good  for  the 
sak.  of  Jesus.  He  said,  "Inasmuch  as  ye 
Inn  .;  done  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye 
iuive  done  it  unto  Me." 

A  lady  gavfl  a  litile  girl  u  very  pretty  bou- 
qne'      The  child  lived  in  a  huge  city  where 


,• 


11 


34       A  liUNClI  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 
flowers  were  scarce  and  costly,  and  they  were 
seldom  given  her.    She  was  delighted  with 
them,  and  kept  holding  them  up  to  her  face, 
and  thinking  how  lovely  they  were.     "  Mam- 
ma," she  said,  "I  wish  I  could  give  them  to 
our  Saviour."     "  You  can,  dea  r ;  I  will  take 
you  with  me  this  afternoon,  and  you  may 
have  a  chance  to  give  them  to  Him."    The 
little  girl  was  greatly  pleased  to  think  she 
could  make  Jesus  such  a  lovely  present ;  hut 
■   she  was  wondering  all  the  time  where  hev 
mother  was  going  to  find  Him.     By  and  by 
the  lady  was  ready  to  start,  and  they  went 
together  into  a  part  of  the  city  where  the 
child  had  never  been  before.    They  went 
through  narrow,  shabby  alleys,  and  up  old, 
rickety  stairs,  and  into  a  little,  dingy  attic; 
and  there,  on  a  small  bed,  they  found  a  little 
girl  whose  back  had  been  hurt,  and  who  was 
unable  to  sit  up  a  single  minute,  and  who 
perhaps  would  never  be  able  to  sit  up  again. 
As  soon  as  she  saw  the  flowers  that  the  little 
visitor  carried  in  her  hand,  she  reached  for 


IRLS. 

they  were 
hted  with 
)  her  face, 
.  "  Mam- 
e  them  to 
[  will  take 

you  may 
im."     The 

think  she 

esent ;  hut 

where  lier 

By  and  by 

they  went 

where  the 

They  went 

md  up  old, 

lingy  attic; 

)und  a  little 

nd  who  was 

te,  and  who 

lit  up  again. 

lat  the  little 

reached  for 


FoncKT-MK-Nors. 


ds 


them,  and  looked   glad  to  see  tliem.     The 
mother   motioned  to  the    child   to  give  the 
other  the  bouquet.     She  did  so,  but  was  a  lit- 
tle sorry,  because  she  tliought  she   was  to 
give  them  to  Jesus.     She  said  nothing,  how- 
ever, till  they  were  out  of  the  room,  and  go- 
ing down  the  stairs  again.     "Mamma,"  she 
said,  "you  didn't  let  me  give  them  to  Jesus, 
after  all."     "Yes,  dear,  I  did;  for  He  says  ii 
you  did  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  IJis  little 
ones,  you  did   it   to  Him.     And    He    takes 
your  giving  those  flowers  to  that  little  sick 
girl  just  the  same  as  if  you  had  given  them 
into  His  own  hand."     Then   the    little  girl 
learned  that  what  she  did  for  any  of  Christ's 
little  suffering  ones  brought  a  blessing  to  her 
soul  from  Him,  and  not  only  made  her  unself- 
ish but  happy. 

You  must  be  faithful  to  Him,  even  though 
everybody  else  forgets  Him.  Sometimes  the 
people  who  do  forget  Him  make  it  very  hard 
for  you.  They  make  fun  of  you ;  they  speak 
ill  of  you.    Some  children  have  even  had  to 


Jt 


36     A  nuNVii  OF  nowKUs  for  girls. 
give  lip  tl.eii-  lives  because  they  would  re- 
member to  do  what  Jesus  told  them  to. 

In  a  city  in  Scotland  is  a  marble  monu- 
ment to  the  "Maiden  Martyrs,"  and  they  tell 
the  story  of  two  young  girls  who  gave  their 
hearts  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  refused 
to  worship  the  Virgin  and  the  saints.     They 
were  put  in  prison,  and  were  told  that  if  they 
did  not  give   up  their  way  of  serving  the 
Lord,  they  would  have  to  die.     Everybody 
tried  to  win  them  back  to  the  old  way  of  do- 
ing; but  they  said:  "No,  Jesus  wouldn't  be 
pleased,  and  we  must  do  what  he  wants  us  to, 
even  if  we  lose  our  lives."     The  people  took 
them  at  last,  and  tied  them  to  stakes  out  in 
the  sand  on  the   sea-shore,  where   the   tide 
would  rise   about  them,  and   drown   them. 
Then  they  came  around  them,  and  promised 
to  give  them  everything,  if  they  would  stop 
praying  to  Jesus,  and  ask  the  Virgin  to  pray 
for   them,   or    the    saints.     But   they   said, 
"  No ;  that  is  not  the  right  way.     Jesus  is  the 
only  Saviour."    The  tide  began  to  come  in. 


tIRLS. 

would  ro- 
m  to. 

ible  monii- 
ul  they  tell 
gave  their 
ind  refused 
nts.     They 
that  if  they 
jerving  the 
Everybody 
I  way  of  do- 
ivouldn't  be 
wants  us  to, 
people  took 
takes  out  in 
ire   the   tide 
Lrown   them, 
nd  promised 

would  stop 
irgiu  to  pray 
t   they   said, 

Jesus  is  the 

to  come  in. 


FORGET-ifK-NOTS. 


87 


It  crept  over  their  feet,  it  came  to  tlieir  knees 
and  then  to  their  waists,  and  tlien  to  th.eir 
chins.  Tlie  people  had  gone  back  from  them, 
but  they  kept  shouting  to  them  over  the 
waters,  and  said,  "If  you'll  just  say  you  will 
worship  the  Virgin,  we  will  come  to  j-ou  in 
boats,  and  save  your  lives."  But  they  would 
not.  They  were  faithful  to  Christ ;  and  the 
water  came  up  oVer  their  heads  and  drowned 
them.  After  the  whole  country  had  turned 
to  worship  Christ  instead  of  the  Virgin  and 
the  saints,  the  peoj)le  built  this  monument 
for  them.  Though  their  lives  were  very 
short  here,  thousands  and  thousands  of  chil- 
dren and  young  people  have  been  stirred  to 
be  faithful  to  Christ  by  the  story  of  the 
"  Maiden  Martyrs." 

You  must  never  forget  Clirist,  and  He  will 
never  forget  you,  nor  the  smallest  thing  you 
do  in  His  service.  He  said  if  we  would  give 
so  much  as  a  cup  of  cold  water  in  His  name 
we  would  not  lose  the  reward.  The  Bible 
says,  "  When  thy  father  and  thy  mother  for- 


{U 


A  nUNCH  OF  FLOW'KRS  FOR  GIRLS. 

sake  tliee  then  t  he  Lord  will  tiiko  thcc  up."     It 
tells  of  a  little  Hebrew  girl  who  was  captured 
by  the  Syrians  aud  given  by  their  general  to 
his  wife  to  wait  upon  her.     The  child'-s  moth- 
er had  taught  her  to  worship  God,  and  be 
true  to  Him,  and  though  she  was  taken  out 
of  the  plain,  little  tent  where  her  father  and 
mother  lived,  into  an  elegant  palace  where 
the  people  served  false  Gods  in  a  very  grand 
way,  she  did  not  forget  the  God  of  her  father 
and  mother.     One  day  she  was  in  the  harem, 
and  she  heard  the  ladies  talking  about  her 
master.    He  was  a  leper,  and  though  he  had 
done  everything  that  could  be.  done  to  cure 
him,  he  grew  worse  all  the  time,  and  he  would 
have  to  die  a  slow,  dreadful  death  with  that 
horrid   disease.    She  said  to  her  mistress, 
"Would  God  my  master  was  with  the  pro- 
phet in  Samaria,  for  he  would  recover  him  of 
his  leprosy."     Now  if  she  had  been  like  the 
heathen   around  her,  they  would  have  paid 
no  attention  to  that,  because  they  are  always 
telling  falsehoods  for  the  sake  of  exciting 


mis. 


FOROKT-ME-NOTS. 


D  up."      It 

s  captured 
general  to 
Id's  moth- 
d,  and  be 
taken  out 
father  and 
ICO  where 
irery  grand 
her  father 
the  harem, 
aboat  her 
igh  he  had 
le  to  cure 
d  he  would 
.  with  that 
r   mistress, 
,h  the  pro- 
)ver  him  of 
jn  like  the 
have  paid 
are  always 
of  exciting 


curiosity.  But  this  child  was  so  truthful 
that  the  lady's  attention  was  attracted  to 
what  she  said  about  the  nrophet,  and .  she 
asked  her  what  he  had  evei  done.  Then  the 
little  maid  told  her  about  his  making  the 
iron  swim,  and  raising  to  life  the  little  boy 
that  died  of  a  sunstroke,  and  the  other  mira- 
cles that  Elisha  had  wrought.  The  lady  be- 
lieved her  story,  and  told  it  to  her  husband, 
and  he  told  the  king,  and  the  king  sent  a  let- 
ter to  the  King  of  Israel,  asking  that  the  pro- 
phet might  cure  the  captain  general  of  his 
leprosy.  The  captain-general  went,  and  was 
cured,  and  became  a  good  man.  So  you  see 
a  great  miracle  was  wrought,  and  the  light  of 
God's  holy  religion  was  carried  into  the  cap- 
itol  of  a  heathen  country,  all  on  account  of 
the  truthfulness  of  a  little  Hebrew  child.  If 
you  never  forget  to  obey  God,  lie  will  let 
even  the  faithfulness  of  your  small  life 
amount  to  all  it  can  in  His  service. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


MORN  ING-(i  LORIES. 


If  your  home  is  in  the  country,  you  will  be 
very  apt  to  know  how  beautiful  the  morning- 
glories  are,  tliose  nimble  vines  that  climb  over 
the  garden  fence  and  about  the  porcb,  and  are 
full  of  flowers  every   morning.     With  the 
peep  of  day,  when  the  dew  lies  fresh  and 
sweet  on  the  grass,  when  "  there  is  not  a  blade 
too  mean  to  be  some  humble  creature's  palace," 
when  the  birds  are  tuning  their  throats  for 
the  best  music  of  the  day,  when  the  sun  dap- 
ples every  hill  and  plain  with  gold,  the  morn- 
ing-glories hold  their  delicate  cups  toward 
40 


\ 
I 
I 

n 
i: 

^ 

c 

V 

^ 

a 
a 
u 

d 

ei 

r( 

y 
h 

ti 

ai 

y 

b< 


ou  will  be 
I  morning- 
:;limb  over 
ill,  and  are 
With  the 
fresh  and 
Qot  a  blade 
s's  palace," 
ihroatd  for 
le  snn  dap- 
,  the  morn- 
ips  toward 


MOIlNIXa-OLOIilES. 


41 


heaven,  full  of  the  sweetest  incense.  They 
raise  their  bright,  glad  faces  to  sec  if  anyone 
is  wise  enouglv  to  come  out  and  enjoy  this 
most  delightful  hour.  Most  of  the  people  are 
in  bed  just  when  the  day  is  most  beautiful. 
Those  that  are  bad  usually  lie  abed  late  be- 
cause they  have  spent  the  night  in  wicked- 
ness, when  the  darkness  would  hide  their  sin. 
Vain  and  silly  women  that  love  only  foolish 
and  idle  parade  and  show ;  men  who  gamble 
and  drink,  cheat  and  steal,  rob  and  murder, 
use  the  night  and  sleep  in  the  day-time. 

Early  rising  gives  one  a  good  start  for  the 
day's  work.  Laboring  people  are  up  and  off 
early,  of  course. 

If  you  sleep  late  you  will  rush  about  to  get 
ready  for  breakfast,  with  your  hair  untidy, 
your  clothes  partly  fastened;  or  you  will  come 
hurrying  in  when  the  meal  is  half  over,  dash 
this  way  and  that  to  find  your  hat  and  books, 
and  hardly  have  time  to  stay  to  prayers.  If 
you  do,  the  worship  will  do  you  little  good, 
because  you  are  thinking  of  the  tardy  marks 
you  will  get  at  school. 


1:1 1 


i.u 


-if., 


42       A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  OIRLS. 

If  you  go  to  school  in  a  flurry,  you  are  apt  to 
be  in  a  flurry  all  day.  You  leave  your  room  in 
disorder  for  somebody  else  to  put  to  rights. 
How  much  better  to  get  up  in  time,  make 
your  own  bed,  put  your  room  in  order,  get 
quite  ready  for  breakfast  and  for  school,  and 
go  about  your  day's  work  as  though  you 
meant  to  make  it  amount  to  something. 

There  is  a  Chinese  proverb  that  the  morn- 
ing hour  has  gold  in  its  mouth.  If  a  hea- 
then could  say  such  a  wise  thing,  how  much 
more  ought  a  Christian  to  act  wisely. 

The  fu-st  battle  of  the  day  is  fought,  and 
often  lost,  before  our  eyes  are  fairly  open  in 
the  morning.  Our  good  sense  tells  ua  that 
it  is  time  to  get  up,  but  we  don't  feel  like  do- 
ing 80.  The  sweetest  sleep  of  the  night 
seems  to  be  those  last  few  stolen  winks.  You 
ought  to  get  up,  and  you  don't  want  to. 
You  lose  the  hour ;  you  begin  with  a  defeat, 
and  fail  all  day.  "  Well  begun  is  half  done." 
"  He  that  ruleth  his  own  spirit  is  greater  than 
he  that  taketh  a  city." 


•«^ 


MORNINd-GLORIKS. 


43 


Begin  the  day  by  conquering  yourself,  and 
making  yourself  get  \\[)  early  becauso  it  is 
right.  Review  your  lessons  when  your  mind 
is  fresh  and  strong.  When  you  are  rested 
you  will  be  able  to  do  as  much  in  ten  min- 
utes, as  you  could  in  half  an  hour  when  you 
are  tired. 

If  you  rise  early  you  will  have  plenty  of 
time  to  pray  and  read  the  Bible.  Satan  con- 
quers many  a  Christian  by  making  him  hur- 
ry through  his  first  season  of  prayer  in  the 
m.orning.  Martin  Luther,  who  had  more  on 
his  hands  than  any  man  in  Europe,  used  to 
say,  "  I  have  a  great  deal  to  do  to-day,  and  I 
must  have  an  extra  hour  of  private  prayer." 
Some  of  the  best  Christians  whom  I  know 
pray  an  hour  or  two  in  the  morning,  even  be- 
fore they  are  dressed. 

I  knew  a  girl  who  had  to  get  up  early 
to  help  her  invalid  mother  get  breakfast. 
So  she  formed  the  habit  of  rising  at  five,  and 
it  has  stayed  by  her  all  these  years.  She  is 
able  to  do  a  great  many  things  that  other 


44        A   liUSCIl  OF  FLOWKHS  FOR  GIRLS. 

people  do  act  got  time  for,  mai.ily  because, 
8ho  haa  tluit  first  morning  honr.  Ask  tlio 
Saviour  to  give  yen  strength  to  master 
yourself,  and  get  you  slarteil  right;  so  that 
you  cau  have  a  sweet  little  morning-gh>ry  in 
your  heart  with  which  to  begin  the  day. 


Jul, 


1 


■-»«»^ 


CHAPTER  V. 

FLAX. 

I  HAVE  a  pretty  apron  that  a  young  girl 
made  for  mc.  It  has  in  one  corner  ctclied  in 
red  cotton,  a  small  flax  wheel,  and  in  another 
a  flower  of  the  flax  plant,  and  in  old-fasliioned 
letters  the  words,  "  Get  thy  spindle  and  thy 
distaff  ready,  and  God  will  send  thee  flax." 
rerha]is  you  have  seen  the  pattern.  It  has  a 
good  hint  in  it. 

We  must  have  the  delicate  blue  flax  blos- 
som in  our  bunch  of  flowers,  to  remind  us 
that  we  are  to  be  industrious.  Even  in  the 
Old  Testament  days  flax  was  the  article  on 
45 


t'lll  * 


I- 


41  .1  nuxcii  or  flowkks  for  oirls. 
people  (Id  not  got  tiino  tor,  mainly  because 
sh.)  has  that  first  morning  honr.  Ask  the 
Savionr  to  give  y<')i  strength  to  master 
yourself,  and  get  you  started  right;  so  that 
you  can  have  a  sweet  little  niorning-gh>ry  in 
your  lieart  with  which  to  begin  the  day. 


re( 

let 
iVu 
l\ 

go 


SO] 

till 

01 


mw 


IRLS. 

ly  because 
Ask  the 
to  master 
lit;  80  that 
ig-gl.iy  in 
0  day. 


CHAPTER  V. 


FLAX. 

I  HAVE  a  pretty  aiiroii  that  a  young  girl 
made  for  mc.  It  has  in  one  corner  ctciied  in 
red  cotton,  a  small  flux  wheel,  and  in  another 
a  flower  of  the  flax  plant,  and  in  old-fashioned 
letters  the  words,  "  Get  thy  spindle  and  thy 
distaff  ready,  and  God  will  send  theo  flax." 
Perhaps  j'ou  have  seen  the  pattern.  It  has  a 
good  hint  in  it. 

We  must  have  the  delicate  blue  flax  blos- 
som in  our  bunch  of  flowers,  to  remind  us 
that  we  are  to  be  industrious.  Even  in  the 
Old  Testament  days  flax  was  the  article  on 
46 


i 


U 


i 


46       A  IWNCn  OF  FLOWKUS  FOR  OIHLS. 


which  womoii  worked,  siml  out  of  wliidh  they 
nmdc  their  clothes,  unci  miiiiy  things  for  tlio 
comfort  of  their  liomea.  The  priests' gar- 
ineiits  were  of  fine  twined  linen. 

God  was  so  pleiised  with  those  who  wore 
skillful  in  this  work,  that  He  gave  them 
special  wisdom  that  they  might  make  the  cur- 
tains for  the  Tahernacle  that  lie  told  Moses 
to  build  in  the  wilderness. 

The  Lord's  iiiodel  woman  was  sketched  by 
Solomon  in  the  thirty-Orst  chapter  of  Prov- 
erbs. He  says,  "  She  seoketh  wool  and  flax, 
and  worketh  willingly  with  her  hands." 
That  was  necessary  that  she  miglit  become  a 
business  woman;  for  he  said  also,  "She  deliv- 
ereth  girdles  to  the  merchant,"  and  "  She  per- 
ceiveth  that  her  merchandise  is  good." 

If  you  would  be  industrious  when  you  are 
a  woman,  you  must  begin  as  a  little  girl. 

If  you  have  not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  be 
born  in  a  home  wliere  all  have  to  work,  and 
have  been  accustomed  to  have  servants  to  do 
everything  for  you,  it  wUl  be  difficult  for  you 


J, 


UlULS. 

wliidli  they 
iiigH  for  tlio 
priodts'  gar- 

)  who  woio 
giivo   thorn 

Hike  the  cur- 
told  Moses 

sketched  by 
ter  of  Prov- 
ool  and  flux, 
her  bauds." 
lit  become  a 
,  "  Slie  deliv- 
^d  "  She  per- 
;ood." 

rhen  you  are 
ttle  girl, 
nate  as  to  be 
to  work,  and 
jrvants  to  do 
ficult  for  you 


h'LAX. 


47 


% 


to  be  industrious.  Perliaps  your  mother  will 
bo  us  wise  iis  a  lady  whom  I  once  know.  Slie 
l»ud  a  large  family  of  daughters,  but  though 
she  was  very  rich,  slie  obliged  tlieui  all  to 
take  care  of  their  owu  rooms,  make  their  own 
clothes,  and  ilo  just  as  much  about  the  house 
as  the  daughters  of  poor  people  usually  have 
to  d:  All  mothers  are  not  so  wise,  however. 
Some  spoil  tlieir  daugiiters  by  bringing  them 
up  in  idleness.  It  is  very  hard  for  such  chil- 
dren ever  to  learn  to  work.  It  is  not  uncom- 
mon for  tliem  to  lose  their  property,  and  be- 
come poor ;  and  then,  not  knowing  how  to 
work,  they  are  in  liard  circumstances  all  their 
lives. 

Many  of  you  live  in  villages  and  on  farms, 
where  both  parents  have  to  work  hard  to 
keep  the  home  in  comfort.  Would  it  not 
seem  quite  selfish  for  a  little  girl  to  spend  her 
time  in  play  and  lounging  around  with  a  story 
book,  wlule  the  rest  were  working  as  hard  as 
they  could  to  make  a  pleasant  bome  for  her? 
Christ  could  certainly  never  be  pleased  with 
such  conduct. 


i 


1 


\ 


'111' 


am 


j^'. 


^^ 


48     A  nuNcn  of  flowkus  for  gikLs. 

Probably  invost  of  the  givls  to  whom  I  am 
talking,  will  have  to  work  when  they  grow 
up.     It  will  never  come  easy  to  then  unless 
they  learn  when  they  are  children.     I  knew 
a  little  girl  whose  mother  was  determined  to 
make  her   industrious,  and  though  she  was 
not  very  fond  of  work,  she  was  obliged  to 
knit  twenty  times  around  a  stocking  every 
day.     Sometimes  she  thought  it  very  hard ; 
other   children   were  not  obliged  to  do  so. 
But  I  have  heard  her  say  since  she  has  grown 
to  be  a  Christian  worker,  and  does  a  great 
deal  of  good,  that  that  was  one  of  the  best 
things  that  could  have  happened  to  her.     It 
,  gave  her  what  was   better  than  a  fortune, 
a  habit  of  industry. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  work  to  be  done. 
There  are  books  to  write,  schools  to  be  estab- 
lished, missionaries  to  be  sent  to  foreign  coun- 
tries and  to  the  poor  of  our  own  land.  We 
need  a  "-reat  deal  of  temperance  work.  Only 
wonien  who  are  industrious  can  bear  their 
part  in  these  things.     So  much  has  come  to 


li 

8 

e 

i: 

j> 

ti 

0 

tl 
h 

w 


lliLS. 

•horn  I  am 
;liey  grow 
c:n  unless 
.  I  knew 
srmined  to 
1  she  was 
obliged  to 
:ing  every 
^ery  hard ; 

to  do  so. 

has  grown 
es  a  great 
f  the  best 
to  her.  It 
a  fortune, 

to  be  done. 
to  be  estab- 
reign  coun- 
land.  We 
ork.  Only 
bear  their 
las  come  to 


FLAX. 


49 


women  to  do,  that  was  never  drea  -led  of 
when  I  was  a  child,  I  wonder  what  will  be 
before  you  wlien  you  are  grown  up.  You 
want  to  have  such  industrious  habits  that  you 
can  know  and  do  your  part. 

We  are  commanded  in  the  Bible  to  work 
while  it  is  called  to-day.  Jesus  said,  "My 
Father  worketh  hitherto  and  I  work."  Paul 
said,  "  If  any  man  will  not  work  neither  shall 
he  eat." 

It  is  plain  enough  to  be  seen  that  the  Lord 
is  not  pleased  with  idle  people. 

There  is  work  even  for  children  to  do.  I 
heard  a  lady  who  was  a  missionary  in  Japan 
say  that  the  little  girls  in  her  school  were  so 
eager  to  teach  the  heathen  around  them,  that 
they  would  hurry  through  their  lessons,  and, 
just  as  soon  as  their  recitations  were  over, 
they  would  take  their  Testaments,  and  go 
out  into  the  little  cabins  to  read  the  Bib^e  to 
the  poor  women.  If  those  little,  converted 
heathen  could  do  so  much  to  get  others  saved, 
what  ought  not  we  to  do  who  are  Christians, 


60       A  BUNCIt  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

and  who  have  known  so  long  what  Christ  can 

do  for  sinners. 

You  must  find  ont  what  you  can  do,  and 
make  yourselves  ready  to  do  it.     Many  years 
ago  a  little  Welsh  girl.went  every  Su.ulay  to 
hear   Rev.  Thomas    Charles   preach    in   the 
town  of  Bala,  in  Wales.     She  was  very  atten- 
tive and  well-behaved,  never    laughing  and 
whispering,  as  some  girls  are  careless  enough 
to  do.     When  Mr.  Charles  met  her  in  the 
street  during  the  week,  he  would  ask  her  to 
give  him  the  text  that  he  preached  from  the 
Sabbath  before.     She  could  usually  do  it  with- 
out any  trouble;  but  one  day  when  he  asked 
her  the  text  she  could  not  tell  it,  and  her 
eyes  filled  with  tears.     "  What  is  the  matter, 
my  child  ?  "     Her  answer  was,  »  The  weath- 
er, sir,  has  been  so  bad  I  could  not  get  to 
read  the  Bible."    "  Could  not  get  to  read  the 
Bible  : "  exclaimed  Mr.  Charles,  "  Why,  what 
does  that  mean?"     "Why,  sir,"  answered 
the  child,  "  we  have  no  Bible  in  our  house,  but 
there  is  one  in  a  house  the  other  side  of  the 


;., 


IRLS. 
Christ  can 

fin  do,  and 
iany  years 
Sunday  to 
ch    in    the 
very  atten- 
ighing  and 
ess  enough 
her  in  the 
ask  her  to 
d  from  the 
y  do  it  with- 
Bu  he  asked 
it,  and  her 
the  matter, 
The  weath- 
not  get  to 
t  to  read  the 
"  Why,  what 
•,"  answered 
ur  house,  but 
ir  side  of  tlie 


FLAX. 


Bl 


mountain  that  I  can  look  at  whenever  T 
choose.  Tlie  weather  has  been  so  bad  this 
week,  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  get  there." 
lie  found  that  she  had  been  in  tlie  habit  of 
walking  seven  miles  over  the  mountain  and 
back,  to  read  the  chapter  from  which  he  had 
taken  his  text  t  he  previous  Sunday,— fourteen 
miles  every  time  she  read  tlie  Bible.  That 
was  in  the  year  1802,  before  there  was  any 
^  plan  for  distributing  the  Bible  among  people, 

'^  and   that  very  incident  was  the  means  of 

starting  the  first  Bible  Society  in  the  world. 
When  Mr.  Charles  went  to  London  that  year, 
he  and  another  minister  proposed  to  form  a 
society  to  supply  the  nation  and  the  world 
with  Bibles ;  and  the  people  continued  to  talk 
about  it,  until  a  society  was  formed  under 
the  name  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society.  You  see  how  much  good  the  little 
Welsh  girl  flid  by  walking  fourteen  miles 
over  the  mountain  to  read  her  chapter  in  the 
Bible.  It  was  the  means  of  giving  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  people  the  Word  of  God. 


! 

1 


u 


CHAPTER  VI. 

F0UK-0't!L0CK8. 

Have  you  ever  seen  that  nice,  old-fash- 
ioned country  flower  called  the  four-o'clock? 
It  always  unfolds  its  pretty  cup  at  four  in  the 
afternoon.     I  am  sure  I  do  not  know  how  it 
tells  the  time,  nor  why  it  should  come  out  at 
just  that  hour.     Maybe  it  is  that  the  little 
folks  coming  home  from  school,  through  the 
heat  and  dust,  may  have  a  bright,  fresh  wel- 
come when  they  get  into  the  yard,  and  run 
up  to  the  old  house  door. 

I  think  this  flower  is  one  of  the  Lord's  les- 
sons in   punctuality.    Do  you  know   what 
52 


FOUR-0' CLOCKS. 


08 


old-fash- 
r-o'clock? 
our  in  the 
nv  how  it 
line  out  at 

the  little 
rough  the 
fresh  wel- 
1,  and  run 

Lord's  les- 
now   what 


that  long  word  means?  If  you  ought  to  be 
in  school  at  nine  o'clock,  and  don't  get  there 
till  fifteen  minutes  past,  you  are  not  punc- 
tual. People  who  are  punctual  are  ulwiiys 
just  where  they  ought  to  be  at  the  very  time, 
and  never  keep  others  waiting  for  them. 

Suppose  tlie  flowers  Iiad  an  afternoon  meet- 
ing appointed  for  four.  Tliey  would  say  that 
they  must  bo  ready  to  open  their  exercises 
by  the  time  the  four-o'clocks  were  out,  and 
then  they  would  be  sure  to  make  nobody 
wait. 

Some  think  that  the  time  of  children  is  of 
no  account.  They  waste  as  much  of  it  as 
they  please.  Tliey  forget  that  there  is  every- 
tliing  for  the  small  people  to  learn,  and  only 
a  few  years  in  wliicli  to  learn  it ;  and  if  they  get 
a  habit  of  wasting  the  time,  they  will  go 
through  life  always  behind. 

You  can  buy  a  bar  of  iron  for  five  dollars, 
but  when  it  is  made  into  watch-springs  it  is 
worth  two  Imndred  and  fifty  tliousand  dol- 
lars.    If  you  mean  to  have  the  watch-springs 


li 


j.  ,1 


A  DUNCU  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  QIRL8. 

by  and  by,  yuii  cannot  afford  to  tliiow  away 
the  plain,  coarse  bar  of  iron.  After  awhile 
your  time  will  be  worth  so  much  au  hour. 
The  more  you  learn  to  crowd  into  it  now, 
when  it  isn't  worth  so  much,  the  more  it  will 
be  worth  then.  If  you  waste  some  things, 
you  can  find  others  to  make  up  the  loss ;  if 
you  waste  an  hour,  it  is  gone  forever,  and 
you  can  never  find  it  again. 

A  story  is  told  of  a  Roman  Emperor  who 
exclaimed  with  the  utmost  sorrow,  "  I  have 
lost  a  day ! " 

It  is  said  that  when  Queen  Elizabeth  was 
dying  she  cried  out,  "  Millions  of  money  for 
an  inch  of  time ! "  Probably  if  she  had  used 
well  her  hours  earlier  in  life,  her  work  would 
have  been  done  so  that  she  would  not  regret 
that  she  had  come  to  the  end  of  her  days. 

If  you  do  not  want  to  be  bankrupt  for  time 
when  you  are  old,  you  must  use  every  min- 
ute as  well  as  you  can  while  there  seems  to 
be  plenty.  Out  on  the  frontier  where  the 
Indians  live  who  have  no  clocks,  they  walk 


RLS. 


f'OUn-O'rLOCKS. 


55 


row  away 
er  awhile 
ail  hour. 
J  it  now, 
ive  it  will 
le  things, 
e  loss;  if 
ever,  and 

leror  who 
,  "  I  have 

ibeth  was 
money  for 

had  used 
3rk  would 
not  regret 
r  days. 
)t  for  time 
very  miu- 

seems  to 
vhere  the 
they  walk 


about  in  an  aimless  v/iiy,  i  s  if  they  never  had 
anyi  ),'t'-  and  nover  expected  to  have ; 
and  Jie  wlnt^  iple,  wlio  are  waitin^^  •\.  the 
towns  to  grow  to  make  their  land  wortli 
something,  are  not  much  more  rapid  in  their 
movements.  In  that  region  I  notice  that  the 
railroad  trains  run  as  they  please,  as  far  as 
time  is  concerned.  In  a  town  in  New  Mexi- 
co they  said  :  "  We  will  telephone  to  the  sta- 
tion and  see  how  many  hours  the  train  is  be- 
hind, so  that  you  need  not  be  in  Iiaste  about 
going  down  there.  You  may  have  to  wait  a 
great  while."  In  older,  settled  countries 
where  people  are  driving  all  sorts  of  business, 
every  train  must  start  "on  time'  to  the  half- 
minute.  If  you  expect  ever  to  amount  to 
much,  you  must  learn  to  be  prompt  in  what- 
ever you  undertake  to  do. 

When  the  breakfast-bell  rings,  be  ready  to 
slip  into  your  seat  as  soon  as  the  rest  take 
theirs.  Don't  oonie  in  after  the  blessing  is 
asked,  and  your  father  has  begun  to  serve  the 
food.  Of  all  things  don't  keep  them  waiting 
for  you, 


■ 


66       A  Simcil  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 


^ 


Never  bo  late  at  school.    You  will  be  cut 
down  in  your  standing,  if  you  are  niarki'<l 
tardy ;  you  will  forfeit  the  confidence  of  your 
teacher,  and  the  re8i)ect  of  your  schoolmates. 
If  you  always  come  in  a  little  late  to  begin 
the  first  recitation,  you  will  be  all  in  a  flurry, 
trying  to  catch  your  breath  f>.id  collect  your 
thoughts,  instead  of  being  quiet  and  restful, 
with  your  wits  about  you.     Besides,  if  you 
start  in  that  way,  you  will  be  sure  to  forget 
something  that  will   bother  you  and  others 
all  day.    "  There  comes  Miss  Flutterbudget," 
they  v.ill  say.     " She  is  never  in  season,  and 
never  knows  just  what  she  is  about."     If  you 
have  formed  such  a  habit,  let  me  advise  you 
to  break  it  at  once.     Promise  yourself  never 
to  be  late  at  school  again  ;  and  ask  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  help  you  keep  the  promise. 

Some  are  always  late  at  Sabbath-school 
and  church,  which  is  quite  as  bad  as  to  be 
tardy  in  school.  They  disturb  others ;  they 
take  people's  attention,  and  make  confusion, 
if  they  come  in  after  the  service  is  begun ; 


\ 

(J 
a 

I 

V 
h 

d 


s< 

y 

ti 


II 

is 

oJ 

P 

li) 


us. 

11  be  cut 
niarkc<l 
3  of  your 
)olmates. 
to  begin 
a  flurry, 
lect  your 
I  restful, 
8,  if  you 
to  forget 
id  others 
•budget," 
ason,  and 
"     If  you 
iviso  you 
elf  never 
the  Lord 

ith-school 
as  to  be 

lers;  they 
sonfusion, 
is  begun  ; 


FOUIl-O'CLOCKli. 


«T 


and,  by  so  much,  they  hinder  the  good  that 
would  be  done. 

You  nmy  be  careless  about  wasting  your 
own  week-day  time,  but  you  nuist  be  caieful 
about  that  which  belongs  to  the  Lord. 

We  have  no  right  to  waste  the  time  tijat 
belongs  to  others.  If  I  keeji  thirty-two  peo- 
ple waiting  iiftoen  minutes,  I  liave  used  eight 
hours  of  the  time  of  others,  enough  for  a  full 
day's  work. 

You  have  no  more  right  to  waste  the  Lord's 
time  than  your  own  or  tliat  of  your  friends. 

A  gentleman  overheard  liis  little  daughter 
saying:  "Come,  Lizzie,  hurry  up;  pull  on 
your  'tockings.  You're  wasting  the  Lord's 
time." 

You  will  not  be  able  to  do  so  mucli  for 
Him  now,  nor  in  the  days  wlien  heavier  work 
is  waiting  for  you,  unless  you  form  the  iiabit 
of  being  careful  in  using  tlie  minutes. 

Do  you  remember  reading  of  tlie  young 
Prince  Napoleon,  who  was  killed  by  the  Zu- 
lus -a  few  years  ago  ?     He  had  joined  the  Rug- 


y 


HBP. 


68       A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  QIRLS. 

lish  nrniy,  and  was  one  day  riding  at  the  head 
of  a  siiimd  outside  the  camp.     It  was  danger- 
ous, and  one  of  the  company  said :  "  We  had 
better  roturu.     If  we  don't  hasten,  we  may 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy."    "  Oh," 
said  the  prince,  "let  us  stay  hero  ten  minutes 
and  drink  our  coffee.'*    Before  the  ten  min- 
utes had  passed,  a  company  of  Zulus  came  up- 
on them,  and  in  the  skirmish  the  prince  lost 
his  life.     His  mother,  when  told  about  this, 
said,  in  her  great  sorrow :  "  That  was  his  mis- 
take from  babyhood.    He  never  wanted  to  go 
to  bed  at  night  in  time,  nor  rise  in  the  morn- 
ing.    He  was  always  asking  for  ten  minutes 
more.    When  too  sleepy  to  speak,  he  would 
lift  up  his  two  little  hands  and  spread  out  his 
ten  fingers,  indicating  that  he  wanted  ten  min- 
utes.    On  that  account  I  used  *-  call    him 
'  Master  Ten  Minutes.'  "    Many  persons  have 
lost  not  only  their  lives,  but  their  souls,  by 
failing  promptly  to  obey  the  Lord.    Every 
minute  has  its  duty.    Let  us  find  out  what  it 
is,  and  do  it  faithfully  and  readily. 


SI 

c; 
0 
h 
tl 
ai 
d( 

lii 
L( 


URLS. 

lit  the  head 
^118  danger- 

"  We  had 
n,  wo  may 
."    "Oh," 
en  minutes 
lie  ten  min- 
is came  up- 
prince  lost 
about  this, 
vas  his  mis- 
ranted  to  go 
I  the  morn- 
en  minutes 
:,  he  would 
read  out  his 
ted  tea  min- 

-  call  him 
ersons  have 
sir  souls,  by 
3rd.    Every 

out  what  it 


CHAPTER  VII. 


HOLIiYHOCKH. 


One  bright  little  miss  tips  her  head  on  one 
side,  shaking  it  with  the  dissent  she  doesn't 
care  to  utter.  She  is  thinking  "  What's  the  use 
of  having  sucli  a  homely  old  thing  as  a  holly, 
hock  in  our  bouqnet?  "  Well,  we  will  see  if 
the  liollyhock  can't  give  us  a  good  lesson- 
as  good  a  lesson  as  its  prettier  sisters  have 
done. 

Some  of  the  homeliest  things  are  the  most 

useful.     Have  you  not  been  told   plenty  of 

limes,  "Pretty  is  that  pretty  does?"     The 

Lord  didn't  see  fit  to  make  everything  to  suit 

fi9 


t  i 


60      .i  nrscii  or  Fi.owKns  ran  girls. 

our  fancy.  Ho  wiints  nuiillowius*  as  well  an 
roHOH.  They  ore  good  for  .i  groat  many  things 
for  which  roses  would  not  do  at  all. 

Ho  made  the  hollyhocks  as  wM  as  tho 
geraniums.  They  arc  a  great  deal  tougher, 
and  grow  with  less  care.  "Hut  what  are 
they  good  for," 

Wiien  you  liavo  been  riding  along  a  quiet, 
country  road,  have  you  not  seen  tho  holly- 
hocks    growing     beside    the    gravel    walk 
from  the  door  of  tho  farm-house  to  tho  gate? 
Farmers'  boys  are  apt   to  bo   noble-hearted 
fellows,  but  when  they  go  to  tho  city  they  are 
easily  led  astray.     Farmers'  daughters  some- 
times "  make  up  lost  time,"  as  they  call  it, 
when  they  get  into  the  whirl  of  fashionable 
society.      A    farmer's   boy  who   has   gotten 
away  from  the  simple  trust  and  truth  of  tl.(! 
old  home,  may  see  one  of  these  plain,  com- 
mon hollyhocks.     It  will  bring    up  at  once 
the  two  rows  between  which  the  dear  mother 
was  carried,  white  and  still,  when  the  neigh- 
bors bore  her  to  the  graveyard  by  the  chuiv:!) 


litres. 

,8  well  aa 
uiy  things 

Al   us    tlio 

)  tougliev, 

wliiit  1110 

ig  11  quiet, 
tlio  liolly- 
iivel    walk 
»  tho  gate? 
I)le-hearte(l 
ity  they  are 
iters  sdine- 
hey  call  it, 
fashionable 
has   gotten 
:uth  of  the 
plain,  coni- 
up  at  once 
lear  mother 
1  tlie  neigh- 
the  cluivv:!) 


JlO/.lA/lOf'KS. 


61 


on  tho  hill-Hide.  Thc-ii  the  siinplo,  buzzing, 
little  SuiKliiy-HchocI,  with  its  Ichsodh,  will  be 
lonienibercd,  aii<l  tiio  "  protracted  meeting," 
in  which  he  gave  his  heart  to  the  Lon  Jesus 
Christ.  It  will  nil  coino  back  as  clour  iind 
fresh  as  though  it  happened  yesterday.  \Vho 
can  tell  the  good  done  by  that  simple  old 
homo  llower. 

It  teaches  us  that  we  can  be  very  useful,  if 
everybody  is  not  always   admiring   us   and 
saying  things  ab;)ut  our  looks  that  make  us 
vain  and  foolish.     I  renunnbcr  a  story  of  two 
little  sisters,  one  of  whom  was  2)retty  and  the 
other  plain ;   one  was  flattered  till  hIic  grew 
very  proud  and  selfish,  the   other  was    shy 
and  timid.     Nobody  jietted  or  noticed  her; 
even   her   mother  seemed   less   fond   of  her 
tlian  of  her  sister.     One  evening  her  mother 
Avns  ill  with  a  headache.     She   heard   a  soft 
step.     "Minnie,  is  it  you?"     "No.   );.-.,mnia; 
il's  only   .  le."     There   w.xs   a  pitiiul,   little 
tone  about  the  "only  me"  that  touched  the 
heart  of   the   careless   mothe, ,      From   that 


1 


A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  OIRLS. 

time  she  made  up  her  nuiul  that  one  child 
should  receive  as  much  of  her  love  and  atten- 
tion as  the  other.  She  found,  beside,  that 
plain,  little  "only  me"  was  the  one  who 
was  ready  to  leave  her  jilay,  and  come  and 
sit  by  her,  and  do  little  kindnesses  for  her 
which  the  selfishness  of  her  pampered  sister 
hindered  her  from  thinking  of. 

Most  little  girls  love  to  do  things  to  make 
them  look  pretty.  They  like  to  have  their 
clothes  look  well,  and  are  grieved  if  they  have 
to  wear  homely,  old  dresses,  and  if  they  cannot 
have  as  many  pretty  things  as  other  girls 
have.  They  love  to  have  everybody  think 
they  look  nice.  Now,  it  is  right  to  dress  and 
look  so  that  people  will  be  pleased  with  us 
and  think  Avell  of  us.  You  must  remember, 
though,  that  of  all  the  things  we  prize 
most  highly,  none  is  more  fleeting  than  the 
beauty  of  a  young  girl's  face  or  form.  It 
doesn't  come  to  its  best  in  this  country  till  a 
girl  is  twenty  years  old,  or  so,  and  begins  to 
fade  iu  four  or  five  years.    It  is  certainly 


( 
t 
t 

\ 

d 
t 
V 
V 

II 

i( 
t( 


BHHRHI^^^^^ " 


GIRLS. 

it  one  child 
e  and  atten- 
beside,  that 
tie  one  who 
d  come  and 
8868  for  her 
pered  sister 

igs  to  make 
I  have  their 
if  they  have 
"they  cannot 
I  other  girls 
•body  think 
to  dress  and 
ised  with  us 
b  remember, 
8  we  prize 
ng  than  the 
)r  form.  It 
ountry  till  a 
id  begins  to 
is  certainly 


nOLLYTtOCKS. 


63 


very  foolish    to  think  so  much  of  anything 
that  lasts  so  short  a  time. 

'If  one  gets  a  notion  that  beauty  of  face  is 
all  she   needs,  and  lets  lier  mind  get  full  of 
the  thought  of  how  people  think  slie  looks, 
she   is   apt  to  spend   time  on   her  hair  and 
dress  that  ought  to  be  given  to  study.     So  it 
often  comes  about  that  the  handsomest  women 
are    the    most     empty-headed    and     selfish. 
They  are  apt  to  have  poor  health,  and  be- 
come a  burden  io  their  friends.     To  make 
themselves  look  nice,  they  lace  their  waists 
down  to  the  smallest  size,  pinch  their  feet 
and  wear  the  tiniest  shoes  they  can  get  on, 
with   soles   too   thin   to   protect  them  from 
dampness,  and  the  lightest  dresses,  because 
they  think   they   look   the   prettiest.     They 
will  be  quite  out  of  sorts  if   they   have   to 
wear  thick  dresses  and  strong  shoes  that  will 
not  show  off  their  dainty  form  and  feet. 

Then  they  grow  selfish.  They  are  so  anx- 
ious to  keep  their  hands  dainty,  they  don't  care 
to  share  in  the  hard  work  of  the  house,  even 


6-1        A  JiVNVn  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

letting  their  poor  mothers,  who  arc  almost  ill 
enough  to  he  in  bed,  do  the  hard  things  that 
they  themselves  ought  to  do. 

Women   in   India   spend   their  time  with 
their  jewelry,  dressing  their  hair  and  keeping 
their  faces  pretty.     They  are  shut  up  in  ze- 
nanas, and  nobody  respects  them,  because  they 
amount  to  nothing.     A  child  of  nine  years  in 
America  can  knit,  and  crochet,  and  sew,  and 
do  more  things  than  India  women  can.     They 
cannot  read  or  write  ;  they  don't  know  any- 
thing' but   to    make   their   faces  look   nice. 
Men  have  no  faith  in  their  sense  of  goodness, 
and  they  will  not  trust  them  to  go  and  see 
their  own  mothers  in  the  same  town,  without 
being  carried  in  a  covered  palanquin.     All 
they  know  is  how  to  put  on  their  jewelry.     A 
well-dressed  woman  in  Ceylon  is  said  to  wear 
thirty    pounds    of    metal    on    her     person. 
Those  poor   heathen   girls  have   funny   no- 
tions  of  beauty.     In  Morocco  they  think  the 
fatter  one  is  the  handsomer,  so  they  shut  the 
girls  up  in  little,  dark  places,  and  feed  them 


G 
I 
t 
f 

ii 

t: 
]) 

o 

b 

o: 
tl 

o] 

S( 

li( 
Si 
H 
w 


URLS. 

3  almost  ill 
things  that 

time  with 
nd  keeping 
t  up  in  ze- 
3cause  they 
ne  years  in 
id  sew,  and 
3an.  They 
know  iiny- 

look  nice, 
f  goodness, 
go  and  see 
vn,  without 
aquin.  All 
jewelry.  A 
said  to  wear 
ler     person. 

funny  no- 
!y  think  the 
ey  shut  the 
1  feed  them 


UOLLYHOVKS. 


65 


with  all  manner  of  rich,  greasy  food,  so  that 
they  can  get  a  large  price  for  them  when 
they  sell  them. 

In  China  they  think  that  unless  a  woman 
has  the  tiniest  feet  she  is  horridly  homely.     I 
saw   a   pair   of  shoes   that  Bishop  Kingsley 
brought  home  from  China.     They  belonged 
to  a  woman  who  weighed  one  hundred  and 
forty  pounds,  and  their  soles  were  about  two 
inches   and   a   half  long.     It  is  dreadful   to 
think  hv>w  much  the  young  girls   of  China 
have  to  suffer  on  account  of  this  false  notion 
of  beauty.     Their  mothers  cannot  begin  the 
binding  of  their  feet  till  the  children  are  five 
or  six  years  old,  for  fear  that   it   will   kill 
them,  and  they  must  keep  them  stupid  with 
opiates  duruig   the   process,   for  fear    their 
screams   will   drive   the   people   out  of  the 
house.     Have  you  ever  gone  to   church   or 
Sunday-scl'.ool   with   tight    new    shoes    on? 
How  your  feet  did  ache,  and  how  glad  you 
were  to  get  home  where  you  could  unbutton 
your  shoes  and  put  on  old  ones.     Think  how 


:i 


1 


.•r 


Ml 

i 


66       A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

it  would  seem  to  have  your  little  toe  put  un- 
der your  foot  aiul  Ixniiul  with  a  stout  band- 
age.  When  it  had  grown  into  your  foot 
tlien  the  next  one  to  it,  and  by  and  by  the 
next  one,  and  after  awhile  the  next,  until  you 
could  wear  a  shoe  that  was  only  two  or  three 

inches  long. 

Chinese  women  think  it  is  a  disgrace  to 
work,  so  they  not  only  pinch  their  feet  in 
that  miserable  way,  but  they  let  their  nails 
grow  like  birds'  claws.     Sometimes  they  are 
six  inches  long,  and  have  to  be  kept  in  gold 
cases  to  keep  them  from  breaking.     Of  course 
a  woman  cannot  do  anything  with  lier  hands 
in  that  plight.   She  cannot  even  comb  her  own 
hair.     Poor  foolish  things  !     While  some  are 
making  themselves  so  fat  they   can  hardly 
waddle  along,  others  are  pinching  their  feet, 
and  others  are  drawing  in  their  waists  so  that 
they  can  hardly  breathe.      They  are  letting 
their  minds  grow  full  of  weeds,  instead  of 
being  like  a  garden  of  flowers,  with  nice, 
pleasant  walks  and  pretty  blossoms 


RLS. 

e  put  un- 
out  band- 
your  foot 
id  by  the 
,  until  you 
o  or  three 

isgrace  to 
lir  feet  in 
their  nails 
i  they  are 
3t  in  gold 
Of  course 
lier  hands 
lb  her  own 
3  some  are 
jan  hardly 
their  feet, 
ists  so  that 
are  letting 
instead  of 
with  nice, 
ms 


■**P"MP*itiinpi<* 


llOlTA'ltOCKS. 


er 


What  a  girl  ought  to  do  is  to  get  all  the 
fmo,  strong  thoughts  into  her  mind  that  she 
]uis.sibly  can,  and  all  the  good,  kind  fueling 
towards  eveiybody ;  but  above  all,  the  love, 
reverence  and  obedience  to  the  liord  that 
will  make  her  beautiful  to  Him.  Let  her  be 
pure  and  lovely  in  His  eyes,  that  He  may  give 
her  good  work  to  do  for  Himself,  and  a  home 
in  heaven  forever. 


»^».«M<MMifl.-^H»HBaiiiMaK 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


DANDELIONS. 

I  SEE  that  'my  little  girls  are   smiling  at 
my  choice  of  this  plain,  country  flower  for 
our  bouquet.     Well,  I   do  love   the  bright- 
faced  dandelions,  lifting  their  glad   eyes  to- 
wards mine  as  I  walk  by  the  roadside,  in  the 
broad,  free,  open  country,  where   the  birds 
pour  forth   sweeter  and  more  tendn-  music 
than  I  ever  have  heard  in  any  concert  hall. 
A  clean,  clear  sky  bends  over  all,  with  its 
depths  of  blue,  and  the  woods  are  in  theii- 
fresh,  spring  green.     I  can  remember  driving 
along  a  country  road  with  my  blessed  father, 


imiling  ivt 
flower  for 
lie  briglit- 
l  eyes  to- 
ide, in  the 
the  birds 
dii*  music 
ncert  hall. 
1,  with  its 
:e  in  their 
jer  driving 
ised  father, 


DANDELIONS. 


69 


and  listening  to  some  quaint,  old  story  of  the 
early  days  when  the  country  was  new,  and 
there  were  bears,  and  wolves,  and  Indians, 
and  everybody  tried  to  help  everybMy,  be- 
cause they  all  had  all  they  could  do  to  get 
along.  When  I  see  the  dandelions  laying 
their  cheeks  against  the  soft,  green  grass, 
looking  up  in  their  cheerful  way,  contented 
and  happy  with  their  lowly  place ;  or,  after 
their  stalks  have  grown  above  their  leaves, 
and  they  have  put  on  their  white  night-caps 
to  go  to  bed,  like  the  dear  old  grandmothers 
with  the  full  frills  about  their  kind  faces ;  or, 
when  the  wind  has  thrown  their  winged 
seeds  hither  and  thither  for  the  next  spring's 
growth,  so  as  to  make  all  dull,  out  of  the 
way  places  bright  and  fresh,  it  always  brings 
back  those  happy  days,  and  I  thank  God  for 
their  sweet  lessons  of  content. 

Don't  you  think  dandelions  look  like  spots 
of  .sunshine  on  the  grass?  They  are  worth 
a  ithQUsand' times  more  than  gold  dollars 
would  be  scattered   about  the   ground,  for 


I 


I 
I 


— ■'^'-''■■•^■" 


70       .1  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

what  good  would  gold  do  unless  one  Imd  t'ae 
health  and  happiness  that  come  from  a  con- 
leuded  spirit?  Many  a  woman  who  hau  a 
diamoiTd  worth  a  small  farm  hanging  in  e.ich 
ear,  would  gladly  give  them,  and  all  tlio  rest 
of  her  finery,  if  she  could  get  buck  the  ten- 
der-hearted simjilicity,  purity  and  gentleness 
of  life  that  she  had  when  she  used  to  curl 
dandelions  stems  and  wear  them  for  earrings. 
Have  you  never  seen  the  dandelions 
blooming  after  all  the  flowers  had  gotten 
their  day's  work  done,  their  seeds  ripoued 
and  scattered,  and  had  gone  to  sleep  to  wait 
for  spring  to  come  again?  I  remember  see- 
ing them  bloom  on  the  college  campus  one 
day  in  autumn,  and  it  set  me  thhiking  of  x 
lady  who  was  in  some  of  my  classes.  Slie 
had  not  had  a  good  chance  for  education 
whea  she  was  a  chill.  She  had  married,  and 
her  husband  had  died,  and  she  had  come  to 
school  with  her  stei)-son,  to  learn  the  things 
she  would  have  been  glad  to  study  earlier. 
She  has  been  doing  good  work  since  then 


Imil  t'ae 
II  a  con- 
to  hm  a 

in  evch 
tlio  rest 
the  ten- 
iiitleness 

to  onrl 
Biurings. 
ndelions 
I  gotten 

ripBiied 

to  wait 
iber  see- 
ipus  one 

illg     o£     ;V 

es.  Slio 
iucation 
'ied,  and 
come  to 
e  things 
r  earlier, 
ice  then 


DANDELIONS. 


71 


for  missions  and  temperance,  and  I  have  been 
glad  that  slie  had  the  patience  to  wait,  and 
the  courage  to  study  when  she  Jiad  the  op- 
portunity, even  if  it  came  late. 

I  know  a  lady  who  is  a  missionary,  whose 
health  was  poor  when  she  was  a  child.  Her 
husband  was  a  soldier  during  the  war,  and 
after  he  died,  for  twenty  years  she  had  the 
care  of  her  mother.  After  her  mother's  death 
she  went  to  school  and  fitted  herself,  late  as 
it  was,  to  do  the  Avork  that  she  believed  the 
Lord  required  of  her. 

It  is  not  wrong  to  want  to  get  into  a  good 
place  in  the  world  so  that  people  will  look  up 
to  you,  and  you  can  influence  tliem  for  good; 
but  a  great  many  have  been  hindered  by  being 
crippled  by  accident,  by  poverty,  by  some 
disease  of  which  they  cannot  be  cured,  and 
they  never  can  do  things  as  others  do.  They 
are  like  the  poor,  little  "burros"  as  the  New 
Mexicans  call  their  donkeys,  that  one  sees 
with  their  feet  tied  together  to  keep  them 
from  going  far  from  home.    Now,  what  is  the 


72        A  BUNVII  OF  FLOWKIIS   VOll  dlRLS. 

thing  for  such  peo[)lo  to  do  ?  Why,  make 
the  best  of  what  chances  they  have.  It  only 
niiikj.H  matters  worse  to  fret  and  be  gloomy. 
Suppose  it  \A  a  burden  for  your  friends  to 
take  care  of  you ;  you  make  it  heavier  for 
them  by  being  sad  and  down-hearted.  No,  if 
you  cannot  do  anything  else,  you  can  be  sun- 
shiny like  the  dandelion.  You  can  say  with 
Tiny  Tim,  in  V  kens'  Christmas  Carol, 
"Now  God  bless  us  all,  every  one,"  The 
rest  seemed  to  love  the  little  fellow  all  the 
more  for  being  a  cripple,  and  it  gave  them  a 
good  chance  to  show  their  kindness  of  heart. 
I  went  to  an  asylum  for  the  deaf  and  dumb 
one  day.  I  thought  before  I  came  upon  the 
grounds,  what  a  dismal  place  it  must  be 
among  those  children  of  silence.  I  was  greatly 
mistaken,  I  can  assure  you.  They  had  as 
much  fun  going  on  as  any  set  of  young  ff^ll?  i 
I  ever  saw.  They  coidil  be  as  mischievous, 
too.  When  the  girls  wanted  to  whisper 
to  each  other,  they  would  partly  cover 
their    hands  with    their  aprons,  so  that  no 


illRLS. 

Why,  make 
re.  It  only 
be  gloomy. 

friends  to 
liciivier  for 
t(Ml.  No,  if 
can  be  sun- 
an  say  with 
mas  Carol, 
one,"  The 
How  all  the 
:ave  them  a 
ess  of  heart, 
if  and  dumb 
le  upon  the 
it  must  he 
'  was  greatly 
'hey  had  as 
young  fnll?  1 
nischievous, 

to  whisper 
irtly  cover 
,  so  that  no 


DANDKUONS. 


73 


one  could  see  them  but  the  one  to  wlinm 
they  meant  to  tell  the  funny  thin  and  the 
way  they  would  make  thoir  fingers  fly  !  and 
liow  they  would  laugh  when  the  merry  thing 
was  spelled  out  in  that  sly  way  ! 

I  went  also  to  see  the  blind,  and  they  were 
even  more  cheerful  than  the  deaf  and  dumb. 
I  never  saw  children  read  the  Bible  with  so 
much  eagerness  as  was  in  their  manner,  while 
their  fingers  moved  rapidly  over  the  raised 
letters. 

I  remember  reading  of  a  blind  girl  whose 
fingers  were  sore  from  constantly  using  them 
on  the  raised  words  of  the  Bible,  and  she 
could  not  wait  for  them  to  get  well,  but  she 
would  touch  the  letters  with  her  lips.  She 
literally  kissed  the  meaning  out  of  the  wOids. 

Some  little  girls  who  have  good  eyes  hard- 
ly read  a  chapter  once  a  week,  except  as  they 
look  over  the  Sunday-school  lesson. 

I  Was  ill  a  hall  among  blind  people, 
when  a  giil  came  dashing  in  as  merry  as  a 
cricket.     She  ran  up  to  me,  and  thougl)t  sha 


" 


74       A  1WN<II  OF  FLOWKKS  Foil  (IIULS, 

hacl  caught  ono  of  tlio  ^rirlH.  I  ko[it  still,  but 
when  hIio  touched  my  fm-  wmp  she  knew 
that  bho  wtw  niistakoii,  and  Hpmng  backwiiid 
with  ivn  excliunation  and  a[)ol(igy,  while  the 
other  gills  laughed  as  merrily  at  her  mistake 
ns  if  they  could  see  the  blushes  on  her  face, 
I  never  knew  more  cht>erful  people  than  those, 
though  they  lived  always  in  the  dark. 

Some  of  the  happiest  a;i(l  most  useful  have 
been  shut  in  by  incurable  disease.  I  knew  a 
lady  who  had  not  raised  her  head  from  the 
pillow  for  thirty  years.  Most  of  the  time  she  ^ 
was  in  aevero  pain.  She  could  not  even 
move  her  limbs  or  feet.  She  could  use  her 
fingers  enough  to  write  a  few  lines  when  the 
paper  w.is  placed  in  a  frame  on  her  chest. 
Was  she  happy?  Her  room  was  always  full 
of  the  sunslune  of  heaven.  I  do  not  think 
there  was  another  woman  in  the  town  who 
did  as  much  good  as  she.  The  moment  you 
stepped  into  the  room  you  felt  as  if  you  were 
in  the  presence  of  one  who  talked  always 
with  the   Lord.     You  would  remember  for 


y 

a 

W 
li 


%!'~'Sf|'j/^,f.9!>.; 


fllLS, 


DANliF.LlONS. 


n 


t  still,  l)iit 
hIio  kiK'w 
Itiickwivnl 

while  the 
iv  nuHtiikn 

hor  fiico, 
hiiu  those, 
i-k. 
joful  hiivo 

I  knew  a 

from  the 
e  time  she 
not  even 
d  use  her 

when  the 
lier  chest, 
ways  full 
not  think 
tow II  who 
ment  you 

you  were 
ed  always 
ember  for 


years  the   sweet,    unscllish    tilings   she   said 
about  llim  and  Ilis  work. 

So  you  see,  God  wants  you  to  be  very  liai)- 
py  and  useful,  though  you  may  bo  obliged  to 
live  a  lowly,  commoniilaco  life. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


CHRISTMAS  BOSE8. 


What  I  have  said  about  the  dandelion  has 
set  me  thinking  of  the  Christmas  roses  that  a 
lady  gave  me  last  autumn.     They   were  the 
first  I  had  ever  seen.     She  went  out  into  the 
garden,  to  the  place  where  she  knew  they 
were  growing,  an  I  pushed  away  the  snow  and 
ice,  and  picked  a  bunch  of  beautiful  white 
flowers.     I  had  seen  tlie  eiddtoeis  blossoms 
that  grow  within  a  few  inches  ot  the  glaciers, 
the  great  ice-fields  of  Switzerland.     They  are 
all  wrapped  up  in  soft,  furry  leaves,  and  yet 
they  seem  very  brave  to  lift  their  heads  so 
TO 


nt 
w^ 
ai: 

us 
in 
th 

"8 
Lc 

do 

mi 

se( 

su 

CI 

we 

op 
sp( 
tei 
ch: 
lac 
ho; 
wi 
dit 


idelion  has 
■OSes  that  a 
'  were  the 
lut  into  the 
knew  they 
le  snow  and 
itiful  white 
is  blossoms 
;he  glaciers, 
.  They  are 
res,  and  yet 
sir  heads  so 


CimitiTMAS  ROSES. 


77 


near  those  immense  piles  of  ice ;  but  here 
were  flowers  tluit  bloomed  luider  the  snow, 
and  when  they  were  thawed  out  they  were 
as  bright  and  lovely  as  any  that  blossom 
in  the  warmest  sunshine.  When  I  looked  at 
them,  I  said :  "  I  will  never  be  discourajred 
again,  no  matter  what  is  in  the  way.  If  the 
Lord  (tan  make  these  flowers  so  lovely,  right 
down  in  tlie  very  heart  of  winter.  He  can 
make  my  life  beautiful,  though  every  v.iing 
seems  to  lock  it  away  from  the  sunshine,  as 
surely  as  the  frost-chains  have  done  those 
Christmas  roses." 

I  once  knew  a  little  girl  whose  parents 
were  not  Christians,  They  were  very  much 
opposed  to  Christianity,  and  never  failed  to 
speak  ill  of  the  Lord's  people  and  his  minis- 
ters every  chance  that  offered.  When  this 
child  was  five  years  old  her  sister,  a  young 
lady,  gave  her  heart  to  God.  She  came 
home  and  told  the  little  girl,  and  prayed 
with  her,  and  she  was  converted.  The  sister 
died  when  the  child  was  eight.    After  that 


r-^^.ia-,,T.f.^-.;^.,»»Aj.-^.;-,~.w.-,j»v.(».,-.a-;ira-y,,;,; 


M 


mmm 


|pp5a«M»i^^.aa«a;...«»«.,^ 


I'll 
1 


78 


DUNCIt  OF  fLOWEliS  FOR  VIRLS. 


she  had  no  one  to  help  her,  and  yet  the  wicked 
things  they  would  say  about  God  and  His 
Church,  never  made  any  difference  to  her; 
she  went  rlglit  ou  trying  to  serve  the  Lord 
the  best  she  knew;  When  she  had  grown  to 
be  a  young  lady,  the  rest  of  the  family  Avere 
all  brought  to  Christ.  When  she  became  a 
Christian  worker,  she  iiad  courage  to  believe 
that  anybody  could  serve  the  Lord  under  the 
most  difficult  circumstances,  for  she  had  had 
to  come  up  through  so  much.  It  would  be 
hard  to  say  how  dreadfully  discouraged  she 
had  sometimes  been,  with  no  one  to  help  her 
when  she  tried  to  do  right  and  be  a  Christian. 
When  she  saw  the  mothers  and  fathers  of 
other  little  girls  helping  them,  she'used  to  say, 
in  the  bitterness  of  her  heart,  "  No  one  cares 
for  my  soul."  After  awhile  she  understood 
that  Jesns  is  most  anxious  to  help  those  who 
are  most  completely  snowed  under  and  fro- 
zen by  cold  surroundings. 

It  is  quite  like  the  little  street  boy  in  the 
hospital  who  said  to  the  other  in  his  queer, 


1 

% 
I 

E 
(I 

ii 
a 

P 
n 

J 

IJ 

01 

ni 
w 

til 
sl< 

al 

(( ' 

de 


IIIILS. 


cnttmrMAi^  roses. 


79 


the  wicked 
I  and  His 
ce  to  her; 

the  Lord 
I  grown  to 
imily  were 
!  became  a 

to  believe 
L  under  the 
le  had  had 

woukl  be 
iraged  she 
,0  help  her 
I  Christian. 

fathers  of 
ised  to  say, 
D  one  cares 
understood 
I  those  who 
3r  and  fro- 

boy  in  the 
his  queer, 


slangy  talk :  "  Them  that  needs  Him  most  is 
just  tlio  o  los  He  goes  for."'     He  liad  heard  a 
little  friend  of  his  in  another  cot  crying  and 
groaning,  and  he  rested  himself  upon  his  el- 
bow    and     leaned     towards     him.       "Jim- 
mie,"  he  said,  "does  it  hurt  dreadful  bad?" 
"  Yes,  Ned,  and  it  'pears  like  I  couldn't  stand 
it  much  longer."     "  Well,  Jimmie,  ask  Jesus, 
and  he'll  come  and  make  it  all  right  some 
way."     "  Oh  no,  Ned,  I  don't  know  how— a 
poor,  little  chap  like  me  ;  I  couldn't  talk  to 
no  such  fine,  great  gontle:u:i:i  as  He  is."     "Oh, 
Jimmie,  ye  don't  know  nothing   'tall  about 
Him.     Them  that  needs  Him  most  is  just  the 
ones  He  goes  for."     This  poor  child's  gram- 
mar was  not  correct,  but  the  thing  he  said 
was  beautifully  true. 

A  little  girl,  who  had  given  her  h(  ;nt  to 
tlie  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  was  mocked  at  -jy  a 
skeptic.  He  had  heard  her  say  something 
about  the  Saviour,  and  he  said  with  a  sneer: 
"What  do  you  know  about  Jes-  ^  He  was 
dead  and  buried  long  ago,  and  that  was  the 


ar 


A   BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

end  of  him."  "  Oh  no,  it  wasn't."  '  Yes,  it 
was.  What  do  you  "know  about  Him ? "  "I 
didn't  use  to  know  anything  about  Him,  but 
I  do  now,  'cause  He's  come  to  live  in  our  al- 
ley." 

"When  childr  ■^n  live  in  homes  where  they 
hnve  no  family  prayer,  or  blessing  at  the  ta- 
ble, or  any  of  those  sweet  things  that  help  so 
much,  the  Lord  Jesus  takes  special  care  of 
them.  You  know  He  said  the  shepherd  would 
leave  the  ninety  and  nine  that  went  not 
astray,  to  go  and  look  for  the  one  that  was 

lost. 

The  poor,  little  lamb  that  is  outside  in  the 
dark  and  cold,  must  not  be  afraid,  becaixse 
Jesus  is  watching  every  minute  to  give  just 
the  help  that  is  needed.  The  prophet  said  of 
Him,  he  would  "  gather  the  lambs  in  His  arms 
and  carry  them  in  His  bosom."  "When  we 
get  into  the  other  world  we  will  find  that  we 
did  not  have  one  trial  too  many ;  every  one 
was  meant  to  make  us  stronger.  I  don't 
know,  but  I  think  that  when  we  see  Him  in 


1 
1 
c 
i 
a 
a 

0 

a 

Ci 
0 

si 
11 
ol 

tl 

b( 


iRia. 

'  Yes,  it 

ira?"     "I 

Him,  but 

in  our  al- 

'^here  they 
at  the  ta- 
lat  help  so 
ial  care  of 
lerd  would 
went  not 
!  that  was 

side  in  the 
d,  becaiise 
0  give  just 
jhet  said  of 
in  His  arms 
When  we 
md  that  we 
;  every  one 
r.  I  don't 
see  Him  in 


CIIIU.'^TMAS  ROSES. 


81 


the  world  of  glory,  wa  will  thank  Him  more 
for  the  troubles  than  for  anytliing  else. 

I  heard  u  lady  tell  about  a  friend  of  hers 
who  was  ill  and  unable  to  go  out.     Some  one 
brought  lier  a  chrysalis,  which,  you  know,  is 
tlie  form  the  butterfly  is  in  when  its  wings  are 
folded  at  its  side,  and  it  is  tucked  away  to 
lie  still,  till  the  sunshine  comes,  so  that  it 
will  be  safe  for  it  to  come  out.     Tlie  invalid 
watched   lier  chrysalis  with  a  great  deal  of 
care,  and  anticipated  miicli  pleasure  in  see- 
ing the  butterfly,  whicli  was  to  be  very  large 
and  beautiful.     By  and  by  it  began  to  sth-, 
and  then  its  h3ad  came  out,  and  then  a  part 
of  its  body,  and  then  more  and  more  of  it,  till 
at  last  it  seemed  almost  entirely  free  from  its 
case,  except  that  tliere  was  a  thread  drawn 
over   its   mouth  that  held  it  back.     It  was 
struggling   to    get    that    broken,    and    she 
thought  slie  would  help  it ;  so  she  took  a  pair 
of  fine  scissors  and  snijiped  tlie  thread.     Then 
the  butterfly  came  out,  but  its  wings  trailed 
behind  it.     They  hadn't  strength  to  spread 


.sra^sM  W^r 'St  <i 


jaMW^ 


i1»i. 


82       A  DUNCn  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

themselves,  and  they  were  almost  colorless. 
It  lived  two  or  three  days,  and  then  stopped 
breathing,  and  she  was  obliged  to  throw  it 
away.  A  gentleman  who  was  a  naturalist, 
called  to  seo  her,  and  she  told  him  about  her 
butterfly,  and  lier  disappointment,  and  asked 
him  what  he  supposed  killed  it.  He  said: 
"You  killed  it  when  you  cat  that  thread.  It 
needed  the  exercise  of  breaking  that  thread 
to  make  it  strong,  and  get  the  blood  into  its 
'vings." 

When  the  Lord  permits  troubles  to  come 
upon  us,  we  must  understand  that  it  is  be- 
cause He  loves  us,  for  "  Whom  the  Lord  lov- 
eth  He  chastaneth  " ;  and  we  must  patiently 
woik  our  way  out  of  them  with  His  help,  with- 
out fretting,  or  complaining,  or  thinking  that 
our  lot  is  harder  than  that  of  anyone  else.  And 
we  will  find,  by  and  by,  that  He  has  not  al- 
lowed us  to  have  one  trouble  too  many. 


IRLS. 

colorless, 
n  stopped 
)  throw  it 
naturalist, 
about  her 
and  asked 

He  said : 
hread.  It 
lat  thread 
)d  into  its 

!S  to  come 
,t  it  is  be- 
3  Lord  lov- 
t  patiently 
help,  with- 
inking  that 
I  else.  And 
has  not  al- 
[oany. 


CHAPTER  X. 

LILIES. 

There  is  hardly  a  flower  in  tlie  garden  that 
seems  to  nie  niorfl  beautiful  tliau  the  white  lily. 
Roses  may   be   brighter   and   riclier   iu   col- 
oring, but  the  lily  is  so  pure  and  sweet,  its 
beauty  is  beycmd  that  of  all  the  rest.     When 
I  see  it  I  feel  like  asking  our  Lord  to  make 
me  as  white  in  soul,  and  as  delicate  and  re- 
fined in  my  inner  life,  as  tliat  su^ierb  flower. 
I  knew  a  little  girl  six  years  old,  who  fait 
that  her  heart  was  not   clean.     She  had  il- 
ways  prayed  since  she  could  remember,  bat 
when  Jesus'  light  shone  down  into  her  heart, 


"•-  ftftjt:  ivrrajv. .  . 


\ 


\ 


•x. 


" 


81      A  nuxvn  of  flowkus  ran  oihls. 

she  saw  tluit  tUero   wero  bad   things   there. 
She  went  to  her  mother,  and  asked  her  what 
Hhe  should  do.     Her  mother  said:    "Why, 
Ilattie,  you  never  did  very  wrong  things.     I 
don't  believe  you  ever  said  a  word  in  your 
life  to  hurt  people;    you  have  always  been 
kind  and  good  and  obedient."  "  Yes,  mamma, 
I  know  that ;  I  have  been  all  right  on  the  out- 
side, but  it's  bad  in  here,"  (putting  her  hand 
on   her   heart)  "it's  bad  in  here,  and  what 
shall  I  do  ?  "     "  Why,  Hattie,  you  love  Jesus, 
don't  you  ?     You  belong  to  Him  ?  "     "  To  be 
sure,  mamma,  and  I  don't  see  how  anybody 
can  help  loving  Jesus  Who  is  so  good,  and 
that's  what  makes  me  feel  so  bad.     Jesus  can 
see  in  here,  and  He  sees  that  it  isn't  good  as 
it  is  on  the  outside,     Now,  mamma,  you  know 
I  have  got  lo  go  to  the  judgment,  and  I  have 
got  to  stand  all  alone  there.     You  can't  stand 
by  me,  and  papa  can't ;  and  Jesus  will  look 
right  at  me,  and  He  will  see  these  naughty 
things  hid  away  in  my  heart,  and  I  don't  see 
how  He  is  going  to  let  me  go  into  heaven. 


-■«»»i 


IlLS. 

jjs  there, 
her  what 
;  "Why, 
hings.  I 
I  in  your 
fays  been 
,  mamma, 
a  the  out- 

her  hand 

and  what 

)ve  Jesus, 

"  To  be 

anybody 
good,  and 

Jesus  can 
't  good  as 
you  know 
[id  I  have 
lan't  stand 
1  will  look 
3  naughty 
;  don't  see 
;o  heaven. 


LILIES.         ■  85 

What  shall  I  do,  mamma  ?     What  8?tall  I  do  ?  " 
And  the  tears  rolled  down  over  her  cheeks, 
though  her  mamma  tried  to  sooth  and  quiet 
her.     At  last  her  mother  said :  "  Yes,  Hattie, 
I  suppose  your   heart  isn't  right.     Mamma 
hates  to  own  it,  because  she  loves  you  so  dear- 
ly, and  she  sees  so  many  sweet  thir    ■  in  your 
life ;  but  I  suppose  you  are  like  all  the  rest, 
and  you  liave  got  to  go  to  Jesus,  and  get  Him 
to  wash  all  the  sin  away."     Then  her  mother 
tohl  her  how  Jesus  was  able  to  make  people's 
hearts   as    white    as    snow.      Then    Hattie 
prayed,    and    after    a    little   while    she    so 
trusted  the  Saviour  that  all  the  trouble  was 
gone.    She  didn't  live  many  years,  but  she 
was  always  gentle,  and  patient,  and  kind; 
and,  above  all,  Jesus  was  all  the  world  to  her. 
If  there  are  things  in  your  heart  that  do 
not  please  the  Saviour,  and  you  go  to  Him, 
He  will  wash  them  away  in  His  own  blood. 
I  mean  by  that,  when  He  poured  out  His 
blood,  which  was  His  life,  on  the  cross.  He 
made  it  possible  for  you  to  have  your  heart 
made  whiter  than  snow,  by  His  power. 


86     A  nimcii  of  flu  we  us  for  oirls. 

Chiist  can  uiiiko  our  tlioughts  cleiiii.  Tho 
adversary  will  put  bad  thoughts  into  your 
mind,  but  you  must  not  listen  to  him.  Some- 
times children  waut  to  learn  about  things 
tliatitisnot  proper  for  them  to  know,  be- 
cause they  are  not  old  enough  to  understand 
theni ;  aud  they  learn  a  great  deal  that  sets 
them  thinking  wicked  tlioughts  and  saying 
bad  words. 

I  knew  a  little  girl  who  was  asked  to  join 
some  others  of  her  own  age,  in  trying  to  find 
out  some  of  the  things  that  grown-up  people 
never  talk  about  before  children.     "No,  in- 
deed," she  said  firmly,  "when  it  is  right  for 
me  to  know  about  such  things,  my  mother 
will  tell  me,  and  I  will  be  sure  to  get  it  right 
if  I  get  it  from  her.    I  don't  want  to  hear 
you  girls  talk  about  them ;  and  I  will  not." 
You  may  be  sure  that  child's  mind  was  pure 
from  many  of  the  evil  thoughts  that  get  into 
children's  hearts  and  wriggle  about  there  like 
black,  slimy  snakes. 

Perhaps  there  is  fretf ulness  iu  your  heart, 


IRLS. 

oiiii.  Tho 
into  your 
m.  Sorae- 
nit  tilings 
know,  be- 
incltM-rttivncl 
.  that  sets 
md  saying 

ed  to  join 
ing  to  find 
i-up  people 
"No,  in- 
3  right  for 
my  mother 
get  it  right 
mt  to  hear 
will  uot." 
d  was  pure 
lat  get  into 
it  there  like 

your  heart, 


LILIES. 


«7 


and  it  makes  you  foel  cross  every  time  you 
are  told  to  do  something  <''!i*  ui  don't  want 
to  do,  or  to  give  up   (L  what  you   very 

much  like   to  do.     Jesu  ui  .   all   that 

away.     Children  have  ii'  ,'ht  to  fret 

and  1)0  impatient  than  gi<i\vn  people  have. 
Christ  can  take  all  that  is  wrong  out  of  every- 
body's heart,  and  He  will  liave  to  do  ao  before 
we  are  fit  to  go  into  heaven.  They  don't 
have  any  cross  fcdks  up  there;  that  would 
make  all  the  rest  uncomfortable. 

Children,  as  well  as  older  people,  some- 
times fall  into  a  way  of  saying  unkind  things 
behind  other  people's  backs.  Now,  that  will 
never  do,  because  it  is  expressly  forbidden  in 
the  Bible.  One  thinks  that  sayin^r  spiteful 
words  to  some  one  who  will  surely  never  tell, 
can  do  no  harm,  but  the  first  you  know,  the 
story  has  slipped  out,  and  then  there  is  a 
"fuss,"  and  everybody  gets  out  of  patience, 
and  is  unhappy,  and  everything  goes  wrong. 
The  golden  rule  is  the  best  one  to  follow. 
I  would  make   up   my   mind   never   to   say 


88 


A  iirscu  OF  FL(»wy.ns  foh  ojuls. 


Riiything  about  another  pernou  that  I  would 
not  want  her  to  say  about  me. 

If  you  luive  a  diHpoaition  to  say  little, 
mean  thingH  about  others,  you  ought  to  go  at 
once  to  the  Saviour,  and  get  Ilinj  to  take;  tlmt 
away. 

I  have  known  even  little  girls  who  were 
proud  because  they  lived  in  a  finer  house, 
and  wore  iiioor  clothes  than  some  of  the  rest. 
I  have  seen  them  look  at  their  own  pretty 
dresses  like  small  peacocks,  just  learning  to 
strut.  They  disliked  to  be  seen  walking  or 
playing  with  the  poor,  little  things  whose 
fathers  were  drunkards,  or  very  poor.  Jesus 
does  not  like  to  have  us  act  in  that  way.  Ho 
was  Himself  so  poor  that  Ho  said  He  had  not 
where  to  lay  His  head.  He  was  very  loving 
and  tender  towards  those  who  were  poor  like 
Himself.  He  knew  they  had  enough  to  put 
up  with  without  having  other  people  hurt 
them  with  cold  looks  and  mean  words. 

The  hardest  thing  of  all  to  get  rid  of  is 
selfishness.    The  trouble  is  we  have  such  a 


,„  .i-TJffeJ©-' 


^^^^^l' 


'HiLs. 

t  I  would 

say  littlo, 
lit  to  go  lit 
.)  tiiko  thnt 


who  were 
ner  house, 
)f  the  rest, 
wii  pretty 
earning  to 
valking  or 
ngs  whose 
or.  Jesus 
way.  He 
Fie  had  not 
ery  loving 
e  poor  like 
ugh  to  put 
3ople  hurt 
irds. 

)t  rid  of  is 
we  such  a 


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,«.-muK*(£^ 


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Uriifii— . 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


150      "^" 


I.I 


140 


2.5 
2.2 

12.0 


|I25  |j^ 

Illi4 

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6"     — 

» 

Photographic 

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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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fut^aaimiitisi.. 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


LILIES. 


89 


habit  of  making  excuses  for  ourselves  we 
do  not  know  when  we  are  selfish.  We  must 
ask  the  Lord  to  search  us  and  try  us,  and  see 
if  there  is  any  wicked  way  iu  us.  He  will 
show  us,  and  then  we  must  go  to  Him  to 
make  our  hearts  white  and  pure  like  the  lilies. 

I  was  at  a  camp-meeting  a  few  years  ago, 
when,  one  morning,  a  gentleman  came  to  me, 
leading  his  little  daughter  by  the  hand.  He 
was  pastor  of  a  Scotch  Presbyterian  church 
a  half-mile  or  so  away,  and  I  had  met  him  in 
the  meetings.  He  said  :  "  I  have  brought  my 
little  girl  to  you  that  you  may  help  her  in 
her  Christian  life.  Her  mother  was  too  ill  to 
come  to  the  meeting  to-day ;  but  Mary  was 
so  anxious  to  come,  I  thought  I  would  ven- 
ture to  bring  her  to  you."  I  replied,  "  Cer- 
tainly ;  I  will  do  my  best  to  help  the  child." 

She  was  a  bright  little  girl  of  about  seven 
yetjs,  the  oldest  of  three,  and  probably  a  lit- 
tle more  thoughtful  than  most  children.  I 
supposed  that  she  wanted  to  give  her  heart  to 
the  Saviour;  so,  when  we  were  by  ourselves, 


;/ 


90        A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  OIRLS. 

I  said,  "You  want  to  give  your  lieart  to  Je- 
sus, don't  you  ?  "  "  Oh,  no,  ma'am  I  "  she  re- 
plied; "I  was  converted  three  years  ago, 
and  my  mamma  wants  me  to  help  the  little 
ones  to  give  their  hearts  to  Him.  I  love  to  do 
things  for  Him  ;  but  sometimes  I  get  a  little 
spunky,  if  things  don't  go  right,  and  that  up- 
sets it  all,  you  know.  If  I  am  to  do  what 
manmia  thinks  I  ought,  to  help  the  others,  I 
must  never  do  anything  that  Jesus  doesn't 
want  me  to.  Papa  is  very  sure  that  Jesus 
can  so  save  me  that  I  won't  be  doing  these 
naughty  things." 

I  looked  at  her  with  surprise.  Most  chil- 
dren are  satisfied  to  know  that  their  sins  are 
forgiven,  and  they  don't  think  it  any  great 
matter  to  get  out  of  temper,  and  be  cross,  and 
a  little  tricky  now  and  then  ;  but  here  was  a 
child  who  looked  as  if  she  could  enjoy  a  game 
of  blind-man's-buff,  or  an  hour  or  two  of  play- 
ing with  dolls,  or  a  pretty  story,  as  well  as 
any  chil ".  '  g,  and  yet  she  was  not  satisfied 
"  to  love  t.      o  a  part  of  the  time,''  as  she  said, 


OR  GIRLS. 

ir  heart  to  Je- 
la'am  1 "  she  re- 
iree  years  ago, 
help  the  little 
1.  I  love  to  do 
es  I  get  a  little 
t,  and  that  up- 
in  to  do  what 
p  the  others,  I 
Jesus  doesn't 
ure  that  Jesus 
be  doing  these 

96.  Most  chil- 
t  their  sins  are 
k  it  any  great 
id  be  cross,  and 
but  here  was  a 
Id  enjoy  a  game 
:  or  two  of  play- 
ory,  as  well  as 
vas  not  satisfied 
ae/'  as  she  said, 


^r 


LILIES. 


91 


but  she  wanted  to  lov^e  Him  with  her  whole 
lieart,  and  that,  in  order  that  she  might  help 
her  little  brother  and  sister. 

After  dinner,  I  took  her  with  me  to  a  young 
people's  and  children's  meeting  that  I  was  to 
hold.  She  sat  back,  and  listened  to  every 
word  I  said.  When  I  asked  all  to  come  for- 
ward who  would  seek  to  have  their  sins  for- 
given, some  others  came,  but  she  seemed  to 
know  that  that  did  not  mean  her.  When  I 
asked  those  who  wanted  to  liave  the  Saviour 
take  all  sin  out  of  tlieir  liearts  to  come  to  the 
altar,  she  came  and  knelt  down,  and  began  to 
vt^hisper  a  prayer  for  herself.  When  we  arose 
from  our  knees,  and  a  chance  was  given  for 
any  to  speak  who  had  trusted  Jesus  for  what 
they  sought,  she  was  one  of  the  first  to  say 
He  had  made  her  heart  clean. 

If  that  little  girl  is  living,  she  is  now  a 
young  lady.  I  have  never  seen  her  since  that 
day.  I  don't  know  whether  or  not  she  be- 
came the  wonderful  Christian  I  thought  she 
would  be.    But  I  believe  that  little  children 


)  •> 


92        A  DVNCII  OF  FLOWKRS  FOR  01RL8. 

may  give  their  whole  hearts  to  Jesus,  and 
have  Ilim  with  them  all  the  time, — in  their 
play,  in  their  studies,  in  their  temptations,  in 
the  little  troubles  that  are  as  hard  for  them 
to  bear  as  greater  ones  are  for  grown  people. 
And  I  am  praying  that  everywhere  the  chil- 
dren may  find  out  that  it  is  a  great  deal  easier 
to  love  Jesus  and  do  just  what  He  wants  them 
to,  if  they  let  Ilim  wash  their  hearts  "  whiter 
than  snow  "  in  His  own  blood. 

That  little  girl  asked  her  Heavenly  Father 
for  Jesus'  sake  to  make  her  heart  whiter  than 
snow.  You  see  it  must  all  be  for  the  sake  oi 
Him  who  died  on  the  cross  that  we  might  be 
saved  from  our  sins,  small  as  well  as  great 
ones ;  those  that  nobody  can  see,  as  well  as 
those  that  make  us  disagreeable. 

A  little  girl  was  about  to  say  her  prayers 
one  night,  and  she  said:  "Mamma,  if  you 
please,  I  will  not  say  '  for  Jesus'  sake '  any 
more."  "Why,  Mary!  What- makes  you 
say  that?  "  "  Why,  mamma,  I  can  be  good 
my  own  self  if  I  have  a  mind  to  be.     I  don't 


on  OIRLS. 

to  Jesus,  and 
;ime, — in  their 
temptations,  in 
hard  for  them 
grown  people. 
?^here  the  chil- 
reat  deal  easier 
He  wants  them 
hearts  "  whiter 

eavenly  Father 
art  whiter  than 
for  the  sake  oi 
at  we  might  be 
well  as  great 
see,  as  well  as 
[e. 

Ely  her  prayers 
►lararaa,  if  you 
sus'  sake '  any 
lat-  makes  you 
I  can  be  good 
to  be.     I  don't 


^? 


LILIES. 


93 


need  to  have  Jesus  hel})  me  be  good."     Her 
motlier  sinv  that  lior  inind  was  made  up,  and 
that  she  would  have  to  find  out  for  herself 
what  a  dreadful  mistake  she  was  making.     So 
she  said :  "  Well,  Mary,  you  need  never  say 
'  for  Jesus'  sake  '  again,  unless  you  choose  to ; 
and  now,  if  you  are  going  to  do  right  by 
yourself,  you  must  try  very  hard  to  be  just 
as  good  as  you  know  how   to   be."     "Yes, 
ma'am,   I   will."     "And   mamma   will   help 
you,"  continued  the  mother.    "  She  will  give 
you  fifty  gold  dollars,  to  be  all  your  own,  to 
spend  just  exactly  as  you  please,  if  you  will  be 
good  a  whole  month  without  Jesus."     "  Oh, 
mamma,  that  money  will  be  easy  to  earn; 
you  are  -ery  kind.     I'll  do  it.     I'll  begin  to- 
morrow morning ;   shall  I  mamma  ?  "     "  Yes, 
dear,  begin   when   you   get    up    to-morrow 
morning."     Mary's  heart  seemed  to  fail  her  a 
little,  the  next  morning,  for  the  first  thing 
she  did  was  to  put  her  head  in  at  her  moth- 
er's door  and  say :  "  Mamma,  if  you  please, 
will  you  tell  them  all  not  to  be  very  provok- 


94       A  liUNCn  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  OIRLH. 

ing  to-day?"  " Yes,  dear,  we  will  all  help 
you."  So  after  breakfast  the  mother  called 
iu  the  coachman  and  the  gardener,  the  second 
girl,  and  all  the  rest  of  them,  and  told  them 
that  Mary  was  going  to  be  good  without  Je- 
sus, and  they  must  all  helj)  her  as  much  as 
they  possibly  could.  They  promised  to  do 
80,  and  Mary  set  about  what  slie  thought  was 
going  to  be  very  easy.  At  night  she  came  to 
her  mother  and  said  :  "  Mamma,  if  you  don't 
mind,  T  would  like  to  begin  over  to-morrow 
morning,  for  I  have  been  naughtier  than  usu- 
al to-day,  though  I  did  try  very  hard  to  be 
good  my  own  self."  "Very  well,  Mary,  you 
may  begin  over  again  to-morrow  morning." 
The  next  night  Mary  was  quite  sad  when 
she  came  to  her  mother  and  said :  "  Mamma,  I 
would  like  very  much  if  you  would  let  me 
begin  over  again  to-morrow  morning,  for  I 
have  been  worse  to-day  than  I  was  yesterday." 
"  Well,  Mary,  begin  again  to-morrow  morn- 
ing." The  next  night  Mary  came  to  her 
mother  with  the  tears  slipping  down  over  her 


«  OIRLH. 

will  all  help 
nofher  called 
er,  the  second 
nd  told  thera 
1  witliout  Je- 
r  as  much  as 
)mised  to  do 
B  thought  was 
it  she  came  to 
,  if  you  don't 
er  to-morrow 
tier  than  usu- 
r  hard  to  be 
11,  Mary,  you 
w  morning." 
te  sad  when 
:  "  Mamma,  I 
vould  let  me 
orning,  for  I 
IS  yesterday." 
lorrow  morn- 
came  to  her 
[own  over  her 


LILIKS. 


OB 


face.  Slio  siiid  :  "  Mamma,  will  you  [draso 
ask  Josus  to  forgivo  mo  for  trying  to  be  good 
without  Him?  There  can't  anybody;  can 
there,  mamma?" 

Some  people  trust  Jesus  to  forgive  their 
sins,  but  they  think  they  have  to  do  the  rest 
themselves.  They  must  subdue  their  bad 
dispositions;  they  must  keep  from  being  fret- 
ful, and  saying xinkind  things  Ijeliind  people's 
backs.  But  after  awhile  they  come  to  find 
out,  as  little  Mary  did,  "  There  can't  anybody 
be  good  without  Josus ;  can  they  ?  " 


fl 


CHAPTER  XL 


ROSES. 

"  I  THOUGHT  you  would  have  to  give  us  some 
roses,"  exclaims  laughing  Miss  Cheerible  ;  "  of 
course  we  couldn't  get  along  without  roses ; 
they  are  the  prettiest  of  all  flowers."  To  be 
sure;  the  rose  is  the  queen,  and  I  want  my 
little  girls  to  be  queenly.  No,  I  don't  mean 
to  have  them  throw  back  their  heads,  and  step 
loftily,  as  queens  are  supposed  to  do. 

I  never  saw  Queen  Victoria.     Perhaps  no 

woman  in  the  world  has  more  power  than  she. 

She  is  Queen  of  the  British  Empire,  and  also 

Empress  of  India.     I  am  told  she  is  so  simple 

99 


I^^l^^l^^^ 


I  give  U8  some 
\eerible ;  "  of 
ithout  roses; 
ers."  To  be 
d  I  want  my 
[  don't  mean 
ads,  and  step 
o  do. 

Perhaps  no 
iwer  than  she. 
)ire,  and  also 
B  is  so  simple 


ItOSKS. 


97 


and  kiiiil-lioarted  tliat  she  loves  to  havo  her 
lap  full  of  grandchildren  as  well  as  any  wo- 
man that  lives.      The  little  children  of  I.er 
children,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  the  Empress  of 
Germany,  and   the  rest  of  them,  come  run- 
ning in  to  climb  into  her  arms  and  kiss  her 
dear  face,  just  as  you  love  to  pet  your  grand- 
mother.    Some  poor  woman  wlio  would  not 
dare  ask  to  bo  admitted  to  the  presence  of 
Queen  Victoria,  puts  on  far  loftier  air.s,  and 
holds  her  head  higher,  than  she  does. 

Another  of  my  little  women  looks  up  with 
a  perplexed  twist  on  her  face.  "  Please  tell 
us  just  what  you  mean,"  she  says  ;  "  we  are  to 
be  so  meek  and  good  as  to  give  up  every- 
thing to  everybody  without  making  a  fuss, 
and  yet  you  want  us  to  be  queenly,  as  you 
call  it.     I  can't  see  how  they  go  together." 

How  can  I  make  you  understand  wiiat  I 
mean  by  being  queenly?  You  can  see  the 
difference  between  being  modest,  straightfor- 
ward, with  a  look  of  nothing-to-be-ashamed- 
of  in  the  face,  and  that  boldness  tliat  rushes 


it! 
j 
i 


-'wmmmrnmsmm 


98       A  liUNClI  OF  FLOWKliS  FOR  OlIlLfi. 

in,  ,  nd  puts  in  its  word  on  all  occasions,  projn 
or  anil  improper. 

I  know  a  little  girl  who  always  Imngs  buck 
and  whines  out  "  I  can't,"  if  you  ask  lier  to 
do  anything  that  will  make  folks  look  at  her 
for  a  moment.  She  blushes  and  wriggles 
about,  and  digs  her  teeth  into  her  thumb-nail, 
and  looks  silly  when  she  is  spoken  to  by  old- 
er people,  especially  if  they  are  strangers. 

I  am  afraid  her  mother  is  to  blame  for  the 
foolish  way  in  which  the  child  acts.  I  know 
that  the  lady  has  hung  back  in  just  about  that 
style,  when  she  has  been  asked  to  go  through 
a  congregation  to  get  people  to  become  mem- 
bers of  a  missionary  society,  or  to  speak  to 
them  about  giving  their  hearts  to  the  Saviour. 
She  would  claim  that  she  was  quite  too  mod- 
est to  do  such  bold  things,  though  I  am  told 
that  she  can  dance  all  night,  with  all  sorts  of 
men,  with  her  dress  low  in  the  neck  and  no 
sleeves,  which  to  me  seems  neither  a  proper 
nor  healthful  kind  of  clothing.  I  am  afraid 
the  poor  woman  does  not  know  quite  what  is 


nous,  proi>- 

Imngrt  buck 
ftsk  lier  to 
look  tit  her 
1   wriggles 
thumb-nail, 
1  to  by  old- 
pangors. 
line  for  the 
;8.     I  know 
t  about  that 
go  through 
)come  meni- 
to  speak  to 
;he  Saviour, 
te  too  mod- 
h  I  am  told 
,  all  sorts  of 
eck  and  no 
ler  a  proper 
I  am  afraid 
uite  what  is 


■^1, 


ROSKS. 


00 


right  in  such  thiiigH,  iiiul  she  hiis  taught  Ium- 
little  girl  to  Hinipor  and  look  shy,  bocauHO  sho 
thiuks  it  will  make  her  seem  modest. 

Another  child  of  my  acquaintance  will  go 
right  up  to  people,  and  call  them  by  name, 
even  if  they  are  old  enough  to  he  her  mother 
or  father.  Slio  will  call  out,  "  1  low  d'ye  do  ?  " 
and  somotimert  even  "  Ilalloo  ! "  which  is  a  very 
impolite  way  of  speaking  to  any  person. 
When  older  people  are  talking,  slio  will  put 
in  a  word,  as  if  sho  were  the  oldest  of  them 
all.  If  a  general  question  is  asked,  you  will 
hear  her  voice  piping  out  the  answer,  as  if  she 
were  the  most  important  person  in  the  room. 
She  is  li  good-hearted  child,  and  it  is  a  pity 
for  her  to  be  so  bold  in  her  manners. 

People  will  not  stop  to  get  acquainted  with 
us  before  they  make  up  their  minds  whether 
or  not  they  are  going  to  like  us.  If  our  ways 
do  not  please  them,  they  hardly  care  to  know 
anything  more  about  u.^. 

That  is  one  reason  why  a  little  girl  should 
always  be  neat  and  simple  in  her  dress.    If 


i 

mm 


II  ■      I'n^'mmmmm! 


100     A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  OIRLS. 

she  i8  careless  and  shabby,  strangers  make  up 
tlieir  minds  that  she  has  not  a  good  mother ; 
ov  else  that  her  spirit  is  coarse  and  common, 
like  a  we  ad  instead  of  a  delicate  flower,  and 
they  don't  care  to  get  acquainted  with  her. 
If  she  wears  "loud"  and  striking  things,  to 
make  people  look  at  her  the  second  time,  as 
she  passes  them  on  the  street,  if  she  tries  to 
dress  like  a  young  lady,  wearing  jewelry  and 
all  sorts  of  finery,  they  are  quite  likely  to  be 
displeased  with  her  taste. 

The  same  is  true  of  her  language,  which  is 
the  dress  of  her  thought.  If  it  is  rough  or 
coarse,  priggish  or  stilted,  as  though  she  were 
putting  on  fine  lady  airs,  sensible  people  will 
be  quite  apt  to  take  a  dislike  to  her,  because 
thev  will  think  her  thoughts  are  not  worth 
trying  to  get  at.  And  they  will  not  be  far 
out  of  the  \v  ay,  either.  If  a  child  is  foolish- 
ly shy,  or  disHgreeably  bold,  the  fault  is  usu- 
ally in  her  mind  ;  either  she  thinks  meanly  of 
herself,  or  she  thinks  herself  much  more  im- 
portant than  she  really  is.  She  lacks  proper 
self-respect,  or  she  is  vain  and  forward. 


I 


OIRLS. 

;rs  make  up 
id  mother; 
d  common, 
flower,  and 
I  with  her. 
J  things,  to 
•nd  time,  aa 
she  tries  to 
jewelry  and 
likely  to  be 

▼e,  which  is 
is  rough  or 
nrh  she  were 

people  will 
ber,  because 
!  not  worth 

not  be  far 
d  is  foolish- 
fault  is  usu- 
cs  meanly  of 
3h  more  im- 
lacks  proper 
rward. 


ROSES. 


101 


If  a  child  is  too  bashful,  she  is  quite  apt  to 
be  imposed  upon  by  bad  people.  You  know 
if  you  shy  away  from  an  ugly  dog,  he  is  twice 
as  apt  to  bite  you,  as  he  would  be  if  you  went 
straight  along  as  if  you  had  a  right  to  your 
part  of  the  sidewalk.  Satan  is  more  ready  to 
try  to  get  us  to  do  something  mean,  if 
we  do  not  think  enough  of  ourselves  to  say 
bravely:  "No,  I  belong  to  Christ,  and  it 
would  be  a  shame  for  one  of  His  children  to 
do  such  a  thing."  On  the  other  hand,  if  you 
are  too  bold,  and  go  stumbling  along,  you  step 
into  pitfalls  that  you  might  have  seen,  if  you 
had  been  looking.  You  make  serious  mis- 
takes that  you  might  have  avoided,  if  you 
had  been  a  little  more  careful.  The  way  to 
avoid  both  fpults  is  to  think  how  noble,  and 
•  yet  how  simple,  a  thing  it  is  to  be  a  child  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  have  Ilim  live 
in  your  heart.  He  made  you,  and  if  He  had 
wanted  you  to  be  very  wise,  or  grand,  He 
could  easily-  have  made  you  that  way.  For 
His  sake,  because  He  loves  you  and  notices 


l!fi 


I 


102     A  BUNCH  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 


every  thought  you  think,  and  every  word 
you  say,  be  just  your  own  plum,  simple  self, 
and  do  not  try  to  be  like  other  people  who 
are  greatly  admired. 

If  He  lives  in  your  soul,  there  is  no  need 
to  be  ashamed  of  anything,  as  long  as  you 
please  Him.  He  is  a  great  King  and  you  are 
a  princess. 

When  one  of  Queen  Victoria's  children 
was  going  about  with  her  nurse,  she  did  not 
need  to  have  everybody  say :  "  Stand  aside  ; 
here  comes  the  princess."  They  would  be 
sure  to  give  her  attention  enough,  because 
her  mother  was  the  queen.  She  would  be  very 
apt  to  say :  "  Please  let  me  run  along, 
and  see  things  like  other  children.  I  know  I 
am  a  princess,  and  people  seem  to  think  I  am 
an  important  person  because  my  mother  is  a 
queen  and  lives  in  a  palace,  but  I  don't  want 
to  be  thinking  about  that  all  the  time." 

If  a  child's  heart  is  full  of  the  dear  Lord's 
love,  she  will  not  care  for  the  little,  outside 
things  that  others  may  seem  to  think  of  so 


'7F 


GIRLS. 

;very  word 
simple  self, 
people  who 

is  no  need 
•ug  as  you 
iiid  you  are 

,'s  children 
ihe  did  not 
:and  aside ; 
would  be 
gli,  because 
>uld  be  very 
run  along, 
I  know  I 
think  I  am 
mother  is  a 
don't  want 
;ime." 
lear  Lord's 
;tle,  outside 
think  of  so 


ROSES. 


103 


much.  She  will  be  so  glad  of  His  favor,  that 
she  will  not  care  to  have  the  best  of  other 
things,— the  most  attention  and  compliments. 
When  one  hears  His  word  of  approval  in 
the  soul,  it  is  like  having  heard  the  best  mu- 
sic.     Other  things  are  poor  and  cheap   after 

that. 

When  one  has  His  smile  of  love,  it  does  not 
matter  very  much  what  people  think.  She 
feels  so  sure  that  she  is  a  child  of  the  King, 
she  can  be  as  grandly  happy  in  a  cabin  as  in 
a  palace. 


r 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE   VINE. 


One  of  the  sweetest  things  that  our  Lord 
taught  His  disciples  was  given  with  the  vine 
for  an  object  lesson.  In  those  days  the  vines 
of  Palestine  were  rich  and  beautiful,  bearing 
abundantly  most  delicious  fruit.  Jesus  had 
eaten  the  passover,  and  reproved  their  foolish 
quarrel  about  which  should  sit  nearest  Him  at 
the  table,  by  washing  their  feet.  Then  He 
had  instituted  the  Lord's  supper,  and  tliey 
had  risen  to  go  out.  The  eleven  stood  around 
Him  while  He  preached  His  last  sermon  to 
them,  that  one  in  the  fourteenth  chapter  of " 
104 


f" 


if-. 


b  our  Lord 

th  the  vine 

•s  the  vines 

'ul,  bearing 

Jesus  had 

heir  foolish 

rest  Him  at 

Then  He 

,  and  tliey 

ood  around 

sermon  to 

chapter  of" 


THE  VINE. 


105 


John,  beginning  so  beautifully  :  "  Let  not 
3'our  lieart  be  troubled ;  ye  believe  in  God,  be- 
lieve also  in  me."  He  said  :  "  I  am  the  vine 
and  ye  are  the  branches.  He  that  abideth  in 
me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit ;  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing." 

The  words  of  Jesus  never  grow  old,  or  out 
of  date.  They  have  as  much  meaning  for  us 
as  they  liad  for  the  people  to  whon\  He  first  said 
them.  This  lesson  may  be  as  helpful  to  us 
as  it  was  to  the  apostles. 

We  may  be  one  with  Him.  He  may  be 
the  life  of  our  lives,  and  work  by  us  to  do 
others  good.  We  cannot  live  the  spiritual 
life  without  Him.  If  we  go  away  from  Him 
for  one  hour,  we  will  die  as  certainly  as  the 
branch  would  die  if  broken  from  the  vine. 

He  needs  us,  also.  The  vine  doesn't  bear 
its  fruit  on  the  stalk,  but  on  the  branches. 
So,  as  if  He  wanted  us  to  know  how  helpful 
we  might  be  to  Him,  He  said :  "  Herein  is 
My  Father  glorified  that  ye  bear  much  fruit." 

To  bear  much  fruit  the  vine  has  to  be  prun- 


\ 


r; 


r 


106     A  DUNCn  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  OIRLS. 

ed.  The  ends  of  the  branches  must  be  pinch- 
ed off,  so  that  the  strength  may  go  to  make 
the  fruit  grow.  We  do  not  enjoy  having  the 
nice  things  taken  from  us,  but  it  is  for  the 
best,  and  we  must  not  draw  back  from  the 
pruning  knife.  We  must  take  the  troubles 
and  trials  that  come  to  us  as  from  the  father's 
hand,  and  thank  Him  that  He  thinks  it  worth 
while  to  so  prune  and  cut  us  that  we  may  bear 
much  fruit. 

The  vine  must  be  watered.  He  has  prom- 
ised to  come  down  like  dew  on  the  mown 
grass,  and  like  showers  that  water  the  earth. 
Every  time  we  pray  by  ourselves  till  we  are 
sure  He  hears  us,  we  have  a  sense  of  being 
refreshed,  just  as  the  plant  that  is  wilted  by 
the  hot  sun  is  brought  to  strength  and  beau- 
ty when  the  rain  falls  on  it  or  it  is  dampened 
by  the  dew. 

The  vine  must  have  sunshine.  It  cannot 
ripen  its  grapes  in  the  shade.  The  old  pro- 
phet called  Christ  the  "  Sun  of  Righteousness." 
We  must  let  Jesus  shine  into  our  hearts  by 


R  OIRLS. 


THE  VINE. 


107 


iiust  be  pinch- 
'■  go  to  make 
oy  having  the 
t  it  is  for  the 
ack  from  the 
1  the  troubles 
mi  the  father's 
liiuks  it  worth 
,t  we  may  bear 

He  has  prom- 
011  the  mown 
iter  the  earth, 
^es  till  we  are 
ense  of  being 
it  is  wilted,  by 
gth  and  beau- 
it  is  dampened 

le.    It  cannot 

The  old  pro- 

:ighteou8ness." 

our  hearts  by 


trusting  for  His  presence.  The  best  Chris- 
tians always  know  the  truth  of  those  words 
of  Christ:  "  Low  I  am  with  you  alway,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world."  Elisha  spoke  of 
the  Lord,  before  Whom  he  stood.  His 
strength  came  from  always  knowing  that  the 
Lord  was  with  him. 

Children  may  bear  much  fruit  in  their  lives. 
I  read  the  other  day  of  a  poor  man  who 
worked  at  making  pottery.  He  had  a  little 
child  at  home  who  was  a  cripple,  and  every 
day  when  he  went  from  his  work,  he  would 
pick  up  a  piece  of  bright  paper  that  he  would 
cut  into  some  pretty  shape,  or  a  bunch  of 
flowers,  or  a  curious  stone — some  little  thing 
to  please  the  invalid.  He  never  said  much 
iibout  her,  but  the  men  all  came  to  know  that 
there  was  such  a  cliild,  and  that  her  father 
did  these  things  to  amuse  her  during  the  long 
hours  that  she  had  to  lie  on  her  cot.  So 
without  words  they  went  to  work,  one  after 
another,  to  make  in-etty  little  things  that  they 
would  put  in  his  hands  at  night  to  take  home 


1 

i 

V 


^ 


108     A  liUNCIl  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  GIRLS. 

to  the  little  cripple.  One  morning  it  was  wliis- 
pered  about  among  the  men  that  ho  would  not 
bo  baclc  that  day,  but  that  tlie  little  funeral 
procession  would  pass  along  the  street  at  the 
end  of  the  lane  on  whicli  stood  their  workshop. 
The  men  all  went  to  their  employer  and  got 
a  half-day  off,  losing  tlieir  half-day's  wages, 
that  they  might  go  and  stand  with  their  head.s 
uncovered  at  the  end  of  the  lane  wliile  tl»o 
man  went  by  on  his  way  to  tlie  cemetery  with 
the  little  coffin  that  held  his  crippled  child. 
His  quiet,  silent,  constant  care  of  her  had 
made  her  seem  to  belong  to  all  his  fellow 
workmen. 

If  our  hearts  are  steadily  loyal  to  Christ  wo 
may  draw  other  people  toward  Him,  whether 
or  not  we  use  words. 

The  little  girls  who  belong  to  Jesus  ought 
to  be  the  brightest,  gladest,  sweetest,  kindest 
and  best  scholars  in  their  school.  I  know 
one  who  gets  on  so  nicely  with  her  lessons 
that  her  mother  is  quite  surprised  by  the  way 
she  passes  her  examinations.     She  asked  her 


)R  QIRLS. 


TllK   I7.VA;. 


100 


ng  it  was  wliis- 
t  ho  woukl  not 
I  little  funeral 
le  street  at  tlic 
heir  workshop, 
iloyer  and  got 
[f-day's  wages, 
ith  their  head.s 
lane  while  the 
cemetery  with 
jrippled  child, 
re  of  her  had 
all  his  fellow 

al  to  Christ  we 
Him,  whether 

:o  Jesus  ought 
eetest,  kindest 
lool.  I  know 
th  her  lessons 
sed  by  the  way 
She  asked  her 


how  she  remembered  so  miiiih  of  wluvt  was"  in 
her  books.  "  Wliy,  inumnui,"  slic  said.  "  I 
kept  praying  every  question.  I  did  thfi  best 
I  could ;  and  trusted  the  Lord  to  lielpme,  and 
lie  did." 

Children  can  help  by  words  of  which  they 
themselves  hardly  know  the  meaning.  I  read 
tlie  other  day  of  a  man  who  had  formed  the 
dreadful  habit  of  swearing.  After  he  was 
married,  lie  tried  very  hard  to  give  it  up. 
Rut  once  in  a  while  a  bad  word  would  slip  out 
in  spite  of  him.  One  day  he  was  shaving,  and 
cut  himself  with  the  razor,  and  before  he 
knew  it,  in  his  anger  ho  had  uttered  tlie  name 
of  our  Father  in  heaven.  His  little  daughter 
was  Inlaying  on  the  fl(K)r,  and  she  came  up  to 
him,  looked  in  his  face  and  said,  "  Where  is 
He,  papa?'  "Where  is  who,  dear?" 
"  Where  is  Dod  ?  Didn't  you  speak  to  Dod 
dus'  now.  Where  is  He  ?  I  didn't  see  Him." 
The  word  was  like  an  arrow  in  the  man's 
heart.  He  dropped  into  a  chair,  and  covering 
his  face  with  his  hands,  asked  God  to  forgive 


110     A  Jlimvil  OF  FLOWERS  FOR  (JlRLS. 

him  for  taking  His  name  in  vain,  and  promised 
to  give  Ilim  liis  heart,  so  tliat  He  could  make 
it  clean  from  that  sin.  And  the  Lord  an- 
swered his  prayer. 

The  little  girls  who  believe  in  Christ,  must 
try  in  every  way  to  make  people  love  and 
trust  Him. 

A  woman  asked  a  housemaid  once :  "  How 
do  you  know  you  are  converted  ?  "  "  Oh,  I 
know  it  by  a  great  many  things,"  she  replied  ; 
*'  one  is,  I  always  sweep  under  the  mats  now." 
If  you  go  to  school  with  your  hair  all  tousled, 
with  face  and  hands  untidy,  a  sleeve  half 
ripped  out  of  your  dress,  the  people  will  think  : 
"  What  a  pity  that  little  girl  hasn't  a  better 
mother,  to  fix  her  up  and  make  her  look  neat 
.  and  nice."  If  you  pass  a  poor  examination, 
and  do  not  seem  to  half  know  the  studies 
that  you  have  gone  over,  people  will  think, 
"That  child  has  a  poor  teacher."  If  you 
want  to  be  a  credit  to  your  mother  and  teach- 
ers, you  must  let  people  see  what  a  neat,  tidy 
child  and  good  scholar  you  can  be.    If  you 


-n 


(iinL8. 

ukI  promised 
3  could  raako 
he  Lord  an- 

Christ,  must 
pie  love  and 

•nee :  "  How 
I  ?  "  "  Oh,  I 
"  she  replied ; 
le  mats  now." 
ir  all  tousled, 
V  sleeve  half 
ie  will  think : 
asn't  a  better 
her  look  neat 
examination, 
ir  the  studies 
e  will  think, 
ler."  If  you 
ler  and  teach- 
it  a  neat,  tidy 
,  be.    If  you 


THK  VINK, 


111 


want  to  make  tliom  love  and  truHt  llin  Sav- 
iour, you  must  .show  liy  your  life  how  l)lcss(!(l- 
ly  the  Lord  can  keep  you  from  being  cross 
and  selfish  and  mean. 

Because  you  belong  to  Him  you  must  let 
Him  make  you  always  bright  and  sunshiny, 
that  you  may  help  everybody  bo  happy  and 
glad. 

There  is  a  dial  in  Naples  to  show  the  time 
of  day  when  the  sun  shines  upon  it.  It  has 
these  words  upon  its  face  :  "  I  record  only  tlie 
hours  that  are  serene."  Remember  the 
bright  things  ;  give  God  tlianks  fur  them  al- 
ways. Trust  Him  to  keep  you  in  the  grace 
that  will  make  people  want  to  be  like  Him. 
That  will  be  glorifying  Him  by  bringing  forth 
much  fruit. 

Tlie  heathen  think  tlwvt  all  girls  are  good 
for  is  to  sell  for  money,  like  colts  and  cattle. 
Christians  are  finding  out  that  there  are  many 
beautiful,  brave  things  that  women  can  do  to 
get  people  to  Christ.  You  must  prepare  your- 
self for  a  part  in  the  blessed  work  women  are 


■ 


112    A  II u yen  Of  Fi.owKiis  for  oirls. 

doing  and  aro  to  do.  Study,  mid,  tiiink,  iiiid 
pray,  and  trust  Josus  to  make  you  strong, 
true,  and  pure,  so  that  when  you  aro  grown 
up,  if  you  hoar  the  Lord  a.sking  :  "  Who  will 
do  this  good  work  to  get  the  peojjle  to  love 
and  trust  Mo?"  you  can  answer  gladly: 
"  Here  am  I ;  send  ine." 


OK  OIRLS. 

uiul,  titink,iiiKl 
:e  yoii  strong, 
'ou  uro  grown 
g:  "Who  will 
peoi)le  to  love 
nawcr  gladly: 


«-^ 


y 


